Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-06
EIGHT-HoUR LAW.

In 1892, the present cight-hour
law was passed, which provides that
tho services and employment of all
laborers and mechanics who are now
or may hereafter be employed by the
government OF the United States. by
contractor or sub-contractor on any
of the public works of the United
States and of the said District of
Columbia Is hereby restricted to
eight hours in any one calendar day,
mad 1t shall be unlawful, etc. etc.
/, This law has been construed to limit
the application of the requirement to
those who are directly employed by tho
government or to those who are en-
ploycd upon public works situate upon
land owned by the United States. This
construction prevented its application
to government battleships and other
vessels built in private ship-yards and
to heavy guns and nrmor plate con-
4tracted for and made at private cstab-
lislments. The proposed act provides
that no laborer or mechanic doing any
part of the work contemplated by n
contract with the United States in the
employ OF the contractor or any sub
contractor shall be required or permit
ted to work more than eight hours a
day in any one calendar day.
CREATES soArE BURDENS.
1t seems to me from the past his
tory that the government has been
committed to IL policy Of encouraging
the Limitation of the days work to
eight hours In all works OF construc-
ton initiated by itself. and 1t seems to
me Illogical to maintain n difference be-
tween government work done on gov
ernment soil and government work
done in n private esta Adjustment, when
Y tho >vprls 10 NJ sbC1l slnrfr,a dipopcirpu
and involves the expenditure of much
labor for a considerable period, so that
the private manufacturer may adjust
himself and his establishment to the
special terms Of employment that he
must make with his workmen for this
particular job. TO require. however.
that every small contract of manufac-
ture entered into by the government
should be carried out by the contractor
with men working at eight hours would
be to impose an intolerable burden
upon the government by limiting It's
sources OF supply and excluding alto
gether the great majority Of those who
would otherwise compete for its bust
ness.
Tho proposed net recognizes this IN
the exceptions which 1t makes to con-
tracts.
For transportation by land or water,
for the transmission OF intelligence and
for such materials or articles as may
usually be bought in the open market
whether made to conform to particular
specifications or not, or for the pur-
chase of supply by the government,
whether manufactured to conform to
particular specifications or not"
CONSTITUTING PUBLIC WORKS.
recommend that instead Of enaoting
the proposed bill. the meaning of which
Is not clear and definite ana might be
given a construction embarrassing to
tho public interest, the present act be
enlarged by providing that public works
shall be construed to include not only
buildings and work upon; public ground,
but also ships, nrmor and large guns
when made In private yards or fac.
tories. 55 ST.
One OF the great difficulties In en-
forcing this eight-hour law Is that its
application under certain emergencies
become exceedingly Oppressive, and
there Is n great temptation to subor-
dlnnte officials to evade it.5g think
that 1t would be wiser to allow the$
president. by executive order. to de-.
clare mn emergency inlspecial Instances
In which the limitation might not APP
ply. and In such cases, to permit the
payment by the. government of extra
compensation for the time worked each
day In excess OF eight hours, may
add that my suggestions In respect to
this legislation nave the full concur-
renee Of tho commissioner OF labor