Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-20
LABOR IN DEPARTMENTS
Suggested Return to the Hours For.
merly in Force.
VIEWS OF CHIEFS OF BUREAUS
Necessity for Reform in Conditions
Surrounding Employees in Census
Office and Engraving Bureau.

Senator Money is taking a great deal OF
interest In his proposed amendment to the
legislative, executive and judicial appro-
priation bill, providing for a decrease in the
hours of labor I'm the departments from
seven hours 10 six and one-half nours daily.
which was in force prior TO a couple OF
years ago. Mr.. Money some weeks ago
wrote letter to the heads OF the several
departments in this city requestionG thai
they state on the authority OF chiefs OF bu-
reaus who came into direct contact with
clerks In the departments what the effect
would be If this change in the length OF
the days work should be made
He has received number OF such replies.
many OF them convincing him that the
change would not reduce the amount of
work done. but would increase the efficiency
of work, and would In the end benefit tia
government.
Senator Money was recently told by a
physician Of this city that he had forty
seven patients who are ladies' III Inc de-
partmental service suffering from nervous
complaints, the direct result OF ovet-strain
In their work.
He has considerable other testimony along
the same lines. and In View of all that la
has learned he is convinced that to detaIn
the departmental employees at their aeslx
until 40 O'Clock, instead of 1 O'CLOCK re-
suits in no benefit whatever to the govern
ment.
Will Go Before Committee.
The legislative bill Is one OF the last bill.
to be disposed Of by Congress, and # Is
still in the House of Representatives u
is not likely that 1t will be in the Senate
for several weeks or perhaps q month or
two, but when ii does reach the Senate
committee on appropriations Mr. Money
proposes to go before that committee and
to advocate the adoption OF his amend
ment. He believes that this resolution will
appeal to the business sense Of senator's,
and that 1t will be possible to recur to the
hours of labor formerly in force in tho de-
partments with the provision that has al
ways been in force, in case there should
Of the clerks 1t will be within the power
Of the department to continue them IT
their desks for an additional length Of
time.
Conditions Needing Reform.
Not only does Senator Money believe that
this course should be adopted In relation to
the length OF hours, but he is convinced
that in a number of instances, prominent
among which are the cases of clerks In the
census office and of workmen in the bu
reau of engraving and printing. the condi-
lions surrounding government employees are
such as would cause protests IL II were
shown that they We're applied to convict
laborers. The conditions in the census Of
flee are said TO be such as to cluse clerks
10 suffer from the intense heat caused by
the direct rays of the sun shining on the
glass roof which covers a portion Of that
building, which Is in part, one story in
height
In the basement of the bureau OF engrav-
ing and printing Ii Is stated. men and wo-
men are employed where there IS little ven
tilation and where the intense heat OF the
summer is extremely enervatlng to every
one Senator Money believes that all these
cases should be taken up by Congress at an
early date as possible and that the gov
eminent should proceed promptly to pro-
vide suitable quarters for its employees He
has been anxious in his present inquiry TO
ascertain the views of chiefs OF divisions
and others who are in personal contact with
employees of the departments who watch
taer work and are enabled from this per-
sonaI observation to state their views as TO
the effect on the work and on the empioye
o. the greater number of hours of labor that
has been exacted from the employees during
the last couple OF years.
He has received many communications OF
this kind and hopes to have great many
more in the near future on which he may
be able to base his judgment when the time
comes to discuss the matter before the SEN
ate committee on appropriations and later
in the Senate If necessary.