The Washington herald., 1910-12-16

the moro reasonable hours which now
obtain in local retail establishments TO
permit these hours and conditions TO be
modified without at least a healthy pro
test.
Efficient Service Rendered.
1T is no disparagement 10 those in pri-
vate employ 10 say that the government
has an exceptionally fine set Of employees.
who render efficient and sufficient service
for the pay they receive, and that to de-
prive them of another half hour of en-
joyable freedom from irksome toll is to
rob them OF moiety of life
Every section Of the country sends Of
its best TO Washington, and the govern
ment, having in mind the future benefit
and well-being of the whole country, can
i'll AFFORD to advertise through them that
there is a general necessity for increasing
the hours of toll 10 bring the expenses of
government within reasonable limits"
Mr.. Manning said that his organization
would cause protest TO be presented to
the President to-day against the length
ening of the departmental work day, di-
recting the attention of the President to
the effect the increased hours would have
upon local interests.
Effects Upon Business.
The business men of the city Of
Washington have no desire to argue
with the government on any question
of policy" said William F. Guide presi-
dent Of the Chamber OF Commerce. but
there is not one Of them who does not
feel concern over the proposed change
and its effects upon business.
There is some justice in the state
ment that the business men of Wash
ington should rather adapt their bust
ness 10 the needs OF the government
than that the government should put it.
self out 20 accommodate US. Still. il
the change goes into effect, il will be
further reaching in it's effects upon the
comfort and welfare of the employees
than appears on the surface. AS a BUSH
ness man, l have employed help enough
to know that If arrangements incon-
venienoe, oyertax, or affect the comfort
OF an employe, the efficiency of his work
is sure TO be lessened.
Il have studied the matter over in all
Of its aspects and / cannot vet see any
adjustment that viii not work a hard
ship upon a very great many OF the en-
ployes and in the end lessen their
value"
Sees Difficulty, Ahead.
As a business man who has worked
hard TO build up a business here and
with a great deal at stake" said a.
Lisner. who was one OF the committee
who presented the business mans side
10 the President. II look forward TO a
great deal of difficulty to adapt my bust
ness TO any arrangement that can be
made
I look upon the commercial develop
ment Of the city OF Washington as being
OF great Importance, for if the city of
Washington has to depend on the gov
eminent alone for its growth and ex-
pansiOn, il will be a long, long time be-
fore its population reaches 100000 If the
stores have to add a half hour to the
long day that our clerks now put in, I
shall not look for them TO do any more
work in day than they now do with
their shorter hours"
Business methods in Washington.
said Joseph STasburger, president of the
Retail Merchants Association will
have to be revoluuonized If the proposed
order goes into effect. There will be diff
nculty in adjusting our business hours 10
the new conditions, because We do not
know either what will be done or how
we will have to act TO accommodate the
people after the changes are made Men
who live out in the suburbs and have
little enough time in the evenings now
10 attend to their shopping wants before
going home win feel the change most of
all Thousands OF dollars that are now
spent in Washington will find their way
into the small suburban stores of Vir-
g1nia and Maryland, and will be lost TO
the merchants of Washington"