The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-07-09


service commission Of the federal
council of the churches of Christ in
America has just made it's report on
what it terms the "deplorable social
and economic conditions Of the men
employed in the Bethlehem steel
works.
The report was prepared by a spe-
Charles Stelzle, Dr., Josiah Strong, and
Paul U. Kellogg, and is signed by
other members of the social service
commission, including Jacob Riis, DR..
Graham Taylor, John M. Glenn, the
Rev. Ernest H. Abbott, Charles r.
Towson, DR.. Hubert G. Herring, DR..
E. B. Sanford, DR.. Leighton Williams,
DR.. John Mcdowell, the Rev. j. H.
Melish. Professor Edwin L. Earb, DR..
William H. Morgan, Samuel z. Bat
ten, John B. Lennon, DR.. Charles S.
Williams, DR.. George v. Chase and
President Herbert WEIGH. =
while it is claimed by the man
agement that Sunday and overtime
work Is in some departments at least
optional with the men," the report
says, 1T is nevertheless true that
foremen and gang bosses have COM
PEELED men to work on Sunday
against their protest upon pain of
discharge. It was case Of this kind
that precipitated the strike" :"
Twelve Hours and Sunday Work.
Just before the strike, the report
continues, 4,,725 men, or 81 per cent
of all the employees, worked twelve
hours a day; 220 workmen had a
twelve-hour day except on Saturdays.
and 1903 employees had work day
Of ten and a half to eleven hours in
length, generally with a half day off
on Saturday. Twenty-eight per cent
Of all employees worked regularly
number ss1scEAlnJ seven days in
week, either Regularly or as overtime
last January the report puts at 4,041,
or 43 per cent.
1.-The situation with regard to Sun.
day work in Bethlehem" the COM
mittee AYERS, lis worse than that
found in the Pittsburg steel mills, a.
discovered by the Pittsburg survey
With regard to wages. the commit
tee declares that 81 per cent Of the
.9,184 employees earn less than Ii
cents an hour, or $2.16 for twelve;
hour day; and 3.19 per cent earned
less than IA cents an hour, or less
than $1.6S for a twelve-hour day
This" the committee declares, ''h
a wage scale that leaves no option tt
the common laborers but the board.
ing boss method of living many mer
to the room. When a man has &
family with him they take in dodgers
or even the woman goes to work. L
is reported that immigrant parent.
send their little children back to thu
old country, to be reared while thu
mother goes to work."
>. Men Killed and Injured.
The report declares that during tn,
last year there were 927 injuries III
the Bethlehem plant of which 754
involved the loss of more than g
weeks time;;.. Fl Of these lost thei1
lives, 38 lost bodily members and {
lost an arm or leg.
The Committee found no grount
III VIC eSSSA IAOA VI AoOO1 OISdAlZSTi
In the strike that Protestant minister.
had had the company collect church
dues. On the other hand the investi.
gators found that the ministers hat
appeared frequently before the Off
Gals of the corporations asking tina,
all unnecessary Sunday work be
abolished. But the committee crit.
icises the ministers for rebuking thu
methods of the strikers while failing
at the same time to censure the com.
pany officials for compelling unneces
sary and increasing Sunday work.
In its conclusions, the committed
characterizes the twelve hour day an6
the seven-day week as disgraces tt
civilization, and recommends thai
laws be passed requiring three shifts
In jall industries operating twenty.
four hours day and requiring a day.:
rest in seven. It recommends that
the federal government be urged tc
include in its specifications for armol
plate, war vessels, construction work