The Washington times., 1910-12-16
Longer Hours Fought
By Organized Labor

Great interest is being taken by or
Eanized labor and by business men or
the city, as well as by the employees
themselves, in the decision TO be given
cut today by the President and the
Cabinet upon the much discussed ques-
tion Of extending the working hours
Of the Government employees
Fearing that any change, Iengthenins
the hours Of work by the Government
viii prove severe blow ito them IN
their campaign for shorter hours. the
officers Of organized labor are reused
70 great endeavors, and are exerting
every effort 10 keep the present work
Ing day in effect
a large petition signed by the
Government printers. stating that
their hours are already too long and
asking for a reduction by granting a
half holiday on Saturdays throughout
Il L- year, has been left at the White
House Although the petition was
prepared early In last October. the
fear that it might bring up the same
question that IS 70 be decided today
restrained them from presenting it
then
Petitions Presented.
A committee composed Of F. c. Rob
erts- OF the frst division Louis Stark
from the bindery. and Charles 5
Gum. Of the linotype division pre-
sented the petition al the White
House yesterday President Taft was
unable 70 see the mon account Of i'm
pOrtant business. but directed that
the petition be left with Secreary
Norton
L,1g7cal arguments were advanced in
the petition that on account of the new
and improved machinery, greater a1ten-
Iiveness IS required from each e1npIoye-
The task Of proofrea5inE the important
legal and state papers IS very difficult.
urging the arguments that the hours
are longer now than on big newspapers,
and the great press Of business during
the long sessions of Congress render II
imperative that they have SATURDAY al
teIi-oonS on during the year The De
u'lonS atso asks that the same consider
atom De granted al employees
Result Feared.
8Tr Norton gave the COMMITTEES. every
assurance that the Presidents attention
would be called 10 the petition, with the
committees recommendation.
II the Cabinet decides 10 fncreasa the
hours, a serious reaction up0n the car1s,
OF labor throughout the nation, Is great
unions
As the Government is the largest
employer Of labor Of a technical and
clerical kind, any action on its mart
tending TO undo the work Of the labor
organizations, VIII simply serve as a
precedent for further demands by en-
p-OyeTS upon their help
Business Men To Act.
Another very strong petition is to be
presented today 10 the President. pro-
testing against the proposed. change OF
hours, and calling the Presidents at
tention 10 the direct result Of the con
templated action upon local business. a f
fairs
Men prominent IN the business circles
OF Washington are greatly alarmed over
the result that any Ieugtheuing Of the
hours Of work of the Government en-
piOyeS to . O'Clock would neceSsar Il
have upon the hours required Of rhr
clerks in retail stores.
There IS necessarily a limit 10 a r,er.
sons capacity, and one can do no nOr5
In eight nOurS OF hard exactinZ work
than one can do in seven and half Re
cause OF the decreasing amount OF Iffs
and fire toward the faE end Of the da,-
The COncelsus OF the opinions Of tb.
most prominent among Washington.
business men, IS that such an actor
would have a very radical and f-T1IrI
Gus effect upon the city's business in
ssTesL And would work a HARDSHIP
Hpon every retail clerk In the CITY a
well as those in the Government EN-
plOy-