The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-26
PRAISES FOREIGNERS
DEBATE ON THE EIGHT-HoUB
American shipbuilder Declares Amer ican Workmen are Cutting
 Their Own Throats-He
 Predicts Hard Times.

Washington, Feb. 25.-"Do you mean to say that the Scotch, the Irish or the English laborers in the shipyards at Glas- gow can do sixty per cent more work with the same tools and in the same time than can be done by American shipyard workers?' demanded James O'Connell, president of the International Association of Mechanics, of Wallace Downey, a New York shipbuilder and representative of the New York Metal Trades Association during the progress of hearing to-day on the eight hour bill before the House Committee on Educa- ton and Labor.
 ''I do mean to say that most emphat- ally" answered MT. Downey "and am not making the statement from hearsay. It has cost me $50o,0OO In the last five years, in addition to gray hairs. to find 1t out. I spent $90,0O0 in purchasing the best tools, in acquiring knowledge of methods in Glasgow, and tried for three years to induce American workmen that by doing piece work they could accom- plish more. They would not see 1t and the shipbuilding interests have suffered. In turn the laborers have suffered for the pay rolls have been decreased
 MT. OConnell declared that he had no belief in the statement of MT. Downey and expressed the belief that American workers in shipyards were far superior to those of other countries.
 Mir Downey responded with a challenge that MT. O'Connell make an investiga- ton or consult other builders, whose words would be accepted by the world. He said he hoped when the systems em- ployed 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 of work produced, but declared that such legislation as is proposed in the eight hour bill is cutting the throats of the working people.
 An arbitrary eight hour day which would prohibit overtime of any kind would place handicap on the American shipbuilder that would lose for him all opportunity of participating in foreign trade" said Mir. Downey.
 He predicted that under such restric- tions the shipbuilding of this country ex- cept government work would be a dis grace to the name of shipbuilding.
 Representative Hearst inquired if 1t were not possible to acquire the means of manufacture which are being used in the English yards and thus compete with them in building. He cited as an exam pie of the reduction in cost in manufac- lures that newspapers in the last ten years have dropped in price from five 10 three cents copy to one 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 bus iness?" he asked.
 Disclaiming any knowledge of the ram ifcations of publishing newspapers, MT. Downey proceeded to give his ideas on the subject He spoke of the great press es and intricate plants installed at enor- nous cost, which, he said, probably were responsible for the decrease in the cost of producing.
 And now I want to say" he added, that take my hat off to the man who invented the machine, the man who had the means and courage to go to the ex- pense necessary to install 1t, to the ma chine itself, rather than to the man who merely stands beside 1t and feeds in the white paper.
 ''The manufacturing industry of this country has developed far in excess of our consumption" continued MT. Dow ney, 'and therefore we need the foreign trade in order to exist. The laborer needs it as much as the manufacturer. am not a calamity howler. but I believe that the present period of unprecedented prosperity Is nearly at an end, and that the country will settle down on some- thing like a reasonable basis. It Is then that the working men 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 operation"