The sun., 1910-05-12

Nave lseen Criticisms the steel CSF-
paratloa Pre,ail generally. But They
MAJ ne Amrlloratsd Hours Toe Lens
WASHINGTON. May ii-rhat shock
ing conditions generally prevail in the
steel industry throughout the country and
are not confined TO the Bethlehem Steel
Works. Of Bsthlehem. Pa. a. recently
set forth in . report TO the senate. is
the slbstAncs Of a statement made
public to-day by Charles Neill. Com
missioner Of labor. To-days statement
was issued a. a result of representations
made by Charles NJ. Sohvab. president Of
the Bethlehem Steel Works. In a oOn-
feFencs yesterday with Secretary Nagel
Of the Department Of Commerce and
Labor. Mr. Schwab said that the report
20 the Senate put his Oompany in an un-
fair light, as IL gave the impression that
conditions at the Bethlehem works were
exceptional in the steel industry Follow
ing Mr.. Schwab's visit Secretary Nagel
had a talk with Commissioner Neil.
In his statement to-day Commissioner
Neill said that the resolution Of Congress
IN response 20 which the recent report
was transmitted called specifically for a
report a. % the conditions in the Bethle-
hem Steel Works and that the report
therefore did not deal with conditions IN
the steel industry In general. II u. how
ever. perfectly true. he said, that In some
depa rtments the men work the entire
seven dRys Of the week, month in and
month out. in the Bethlehem Steel Works
and this has been the practice throughout
the entire steel industry
Commissioner Nelll said that the annual
reports Of the Bureau OF labor on wages
and hours show that IN the blast furnaces
in tho steel industry eighty-four hours
a week has been the working time in every
section Of the country and this means
practically a twelve hour day every day
IN the week. Continuing COmmissl OneI
NeiA said.
These are conditions Of labor which
may well he termed shocking. but they
are not confined TO the Bethlehem Steel
Works Blast furnace work h neces-
sarily a continuous process. requiring
operation tWenty-four hours a day every
day in the week. and for this reason three
shifts OF eight hours zach Oners the only
plan OF relief Three shifts oG workers
would not only give reasonable working
rotation Of shifts leave workers free the
greater part Of the day two Sundays out
VI each three.
-MF. Schwab conceded that the present
hours OF labor in the blast furnace indus
try are excessive. but saws that com
pstitive conditions impose these hours
on his plant 50 long a. they ara common
90 the steel industry
The published reports Of the bureau
Of labor also show that in other depart
ments ol tho steel industry a twelve hour
day for six days a week is not uncommon
and Ia not confined 10 the Bethlehem
steel works Not only is this true. but
in other departments aside from pro-
oeases which necessarily required seven
day operation the six day week Of twelve
hours \ day has been in many instances
lengthened into a seven day week Of
twelve hOurs The recent public dis
ctlaaion Of the Unnecessarily hard con-
ditiOns Of labor In thu steel industry has
however. brought about the beginning
Of an Improvement In this respect and a
leasening of Sunday labor II might be
added that since the beginning Of the
Investigation into the conditions at the
Bethlehem plant emphatic orders have
heen issued by the United States Steel
Corporation 20 reduce sunday work 20
the minimum
As showing that wages in the Beth
lehsm plant do not differ materially from
those general IN the steel industry that
COMPANY states that tho average of the
wages paid 70 all Of It's employees for
tho year 1879 was &777 Il and invited com
parson Of this figure with the average
wages II other similar plants ia the in
dusfryH