The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-26
EIGHT-HOUR-DAY BILL IS
SEVERELY CONDEMNED
Shipbuilder Downey Says Foreign
Work1nen Do More than
Americans.
INTERESTING STATEMENT

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-"Do you mean
to say that the Scotch. the Irish or the
English laborers in the shipyards at Glas-
gov can do 60 per cent more work. with
the same tools and in the same time, than
can be done by American shipyard work
ers?" demanded James O'Connell, president
of the international Association o. Me-
chanics, of Wallace Downey. a New York
shipbuilder and representative of the New
York Metal Trades Association. during the
progress of a hearing to-day on the eight
hour bill before the House committee on
education and laoor
Il do mean to say that most emphatical-
~" answered Mr.. Downey. And am not
making the statement from hearsay. 1t
has cost me $4,000 in the last five years,
in addition to gray hairs. to find it out. 1
spent $4,000 In purchasing the best tools,
in acquiring knowledge of methods in Glas-
gov, and tried for three years TO induce
American workmen that by doing piece
work they could accomplish more. They
would not see it, and the shipbuilding in
terests have suffered. In turn the laborers
have suffered. for the weekly pay rolls
have been decreased"
I Mr.. OCOnneu declared that he had no
belief In the statement of Mr.. Downey, and
expressed the opinion that American work.
ers in the shipyards were far superior to
those of other countries.
Mr.. Downey responded with a challenge
that Mr.. O'Connell make an investigation
or consult other builders whose words
would be accepted by the world. He said
he hoped when the systems employed In
English yards are brought TO bear in this
country that we would be able to pass the
foreign yards In the amount and quality or
work produced, but declared that such leg
islation as is proposed in the eight-hour bill
is cutting the threats of the working peo-
pie. IAN arbitrary eight-hOur day which
would prohibit overtime of any kind would
place q handicap on the American ship
builder that would lose for him all oppor-
tunity of participating in foreign trade,
said Mr.. Downey. He predicted that under
such restrictions the shipbuilding OF this
country, except government work, would
be disgrace to the name of shipbuilding.
Representative Hearst inquired IL IL were
not possible to acquire the means or manu-
facture which are based in the Engllsh
yards and thus compete with them In Dulld-
ing. He cited as an example or the re-
duction of cost in manufacture that news
papers in the last ten years have dropped
in price from TO cents copy TO L cent
a copy and at the same time the hours OF
the workmen had been decreased and wages
increased. IF that can be done in the
newspaper business, why not in your busi-
ness?"
Disclaiming any knowledge of the rami-
fications of publishing newspapers Mr..
Downey proceeded to give his ideas on the
subject. He spoke of the great presses
and intricate plants installed at enormous
cost, which he said probably were response
BILE for the decrease in the cost OF produc-
ing. "And now L want to say" he added,
that l take my hat off to the man who
invented the machine, the man who had the
means and courage to go to the expense
necessary to install ii, to the machine 1t
self. rather than to the man who merely
stands beside it and feeds in the white
paper.
THE manufacturing industry of this
country has developed far in excess of our
consumption" continued Mr.. DOwney, land
therefore we need the foreign trade in order
to exist. The laborer needs il much as
the manufacturer. l am not a calamity
bowler, but l believe that the present period
of unprecedented prosperity is nearly at an
end and that the country Will settle down
to something like reasonable basis. 1t is
then that the workingmen will have to put
their heads with ours and be willing to do
a part of the calculating in keeping our
thousands of mills and factories in opera
ton"
w. 3. Cowles, of the Long Arm System
Company of Cleveland, o. declared that an
possible and that such legislation would
drive all such concerns into bankruptcy.
Eight hours a day is loating, said Mr..
Cowles, land giving away the energy that
is wrapped up in this country"
Edwin Freegard, Of st. Louis, secretary
of the United Typothaeta of America APP
pealed to Congress to keep hands of in the
matter of regulating the work day, saying
ii was a question to be met by the employe
and the employer, the same as the printers
day had been reduced from ten to nine
hours by conference at Syracuse, y. y
a number of years ago. He said man
should be permitted to work as long as he
pleased.
Charles f. Waltz of Cincinnati. repre-
senting the Citizens Industrial Association,
also appeared before the committee An
other hearing will be held next Thursday.