The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-09
CONGRESS AND THE EIGHT-HOUR
BILL.


committee has been giving hearings on the
question of establishing an eight-hour day
in all government establishments and con-
tracts. The hearings have brought out
variety of views from manufacturers, en-
ployers. labor leaders and experts OF diff
day comes from the labor unions and lead
ers, and they are unanimously in favor of
1t. while manufacturers and employers are
solid against it.
OF course. Congress cannot pass law on
the subject for the different States. 1t
District of Columbia and government estab-
lishments or contracts. The latter would
include contracts for shipbuilding and
many other large works. The bill before
the House provides that every contract
made on behalf of the United States gov
eminent, or any Territory or the District
Of Columbia, which involves the employ
ment of laborers or mechanics. shall con-
tain a provision that no laborer or me-
chanic Going any part of the work con-
templated by the contract i'm the employ of
the contractor or of any subcontractor con-
tracing for any part of said work shall be
required or permitted to work any more
than eight hours in any one calendar day
upon such work; and every such contract
shall stipulate penalty for each viola
ton of such provision in the contract of S.
for each laborer or mechanic for every cal
eudar day in ubicb ha shall no reo,1ired or
permitted to labor more than eight hours
upon such work
The government has for several years en-
forced the eight-hour day in its own work.
ing establishments, but this bill would ex-
tend it to all private establishments doing
any kind of government work. There are
several thousand such establishments that
take contracts or subcontracts for such
work, but they do a great deal of other
work besides. The bill would compel them
to make eight-hour contracts on govern
ment work. while applying a nine ten
hour day on other work. Men could not
be shifted from one job to another, and
great embarrassment would ensue. Ex-
perts say the law would mean increase
of % per cent. in the cost of government
work. Indirectly, it would increase the cost
of work in all private establishments.
If the eight-hour day could be made uni
versal, that is, applied in other countries
well in this. there would be some
justice in it, but to enforce it in the United
States alone, which is the purpose and
intent of the labor leaders, would put this
country at a great disadvantage in COM
peting with others for control of the world S
markets. American manufacturers have
spent millions and millions of dollars in
developing foreign trade. To hold and ex-
tend this trade has become a matter Of
vital Importance to them. Unless our for
eign trade is extended many factories may
be compelled to close. This would hurt
workmen as well as employers. 1t would
seem to be unwise for Congress to inau-
gurate policy that may result in materially
increasing the cost of manufacturing and
in weakening our hold on foreign markets
without carefully counting the cost. The
question is one of great economic i'm
porIance.
Inc iOnS hearings pro ana con Wnlch the
labor committee has given have not enabled
it to reach decision, and it has decided
to refer the matter to Secretary of Com
merce and Labor Cortelyou, with a request
for report on the following points, to be
made to the committee at the next ses-
sion of Congress:
What would be the additional cost to the
nit At fha ~ ssal~-
which il customarily obtains by contract?
What damage would Ii infiict on the man
ufacturing interests? Would contractors
who now supply the government continue
TO contract with the government? VIVA,
terests? What effect would it have on ex-
port trade? Are laboring people willing to
have taken from them the right to labor
more than eight hours? What effect will
1t have on the agricultural interests?
This looks like wise disposition of the
subject, at least for the present. Before
taking any step in a matter so vitality af-
fecting the manufacturing interests of the
country, Congress should get all the in
formation and light possible. The Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor has the ma
chinery for thorough investigation of the
subject. and the work is precisely in the
line for which it was created. When the
secretary shall have investigated and re-
ported on the points above named, Con-
gress can act intelligently, and it is to be
hoped it will act solely with reference to
public and national interests.
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