Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-11
AN THOURExPERlMENT
Results of a Ten Year Trial of the
System In ENGLAND.

k1c8Q1t0 OF q Zen \ ear TT101 OF the
System In England.
The growing agitation for working
day Of eight hours has recalled an ex-
pertinent made a few years ago in an
extensive machine shop in England,
where the eight hour system proved SO
satisfactory that it has been continued
till the present time.
The eight hour day must justify it.
self economically-thati is, it must con-
duce to large and economical produc-
ton. 1t may be justified though the ar
gument on which it is demanded may
be worthless. The objection of employ
ers that the reduction of the working
day from ten to eight hours means a
reduction Of one-ffth in production or
would involve an addition of one-fourth
to the number Of men employed is not
at all convincing, because the working
day has in past years been reduced
from twelve or fifteen to nine or ten
hours, with increased production and
decreased cost. Whether the reduction
can be carried further is a matter of
fact to be ascertained only by practical
tests. On the other hand, the eight
hour day is generally demanded on the
ground that it would increase the
amount of wages paid by increasing
the number Of men employed or the
number of days the men work. If it
should have this effect, it would in
crease the cost of production and be
economically condemned.
Ten years ago Mather & Plat of
Manchester, England, manufacturers
Of machinery, with about 1900 employ
ees, reduced the working time in their
shops from fifty-five to forty-eight
hours per week, reduction of nearly
Is per cent. The experiment was con-
Quoted for year, and a skilled statis-
tcian was employed to give his whole
time to collating facts and statistics
and other data bearing upon the ques-
ton. 1t was found that the ratio Of
wages to the value of product increased
only Oh per cent, and prices were low.
Had prices been normal a part or
all of this small increase would have
disappeared. On the other hand, there
was a saving of .O4 per cent in pro-
pOA NAOA W IAC fdAuC VI luc
in wear and tear, gas, fuel, etc. The
proportion of lost time to total time
was reduced from 2.46 per cent to .4'
per cent. The actual time was great
er than this because the absence of
some of the men reduced the eff
cheney of other men who were present,
but this does not admit of statistical
measurement. The piece workers lost
in wages only 1.41 per cent for the
whole year and this in decreasing ra-
ito. In the first four months they lost
1.76 per cent and in the last four
months only IS per cent. Some Of
the rates Of pay for piece work were
reduced during the year. Making al
loWance for this, the decrease in piece
workers earnings for the year was
only .O5 per cent. This slight reduc-
ton in their earnings shows slight
reduction in their production, but the
total output of the establishment in
the trial year was greater than in
previous years, which proves that the
men working by the day produced
more in forty-eight hours week than
in tifty-fve hours.
The experiment was so satisfactory
that the eight hour day has been main
tanned in that establishment ever since.
Philadelphia Record.