The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-06-09

tenn has been introduced, each eXacting
its pound of flesh.
Back in New York few years ago the
farmers debated which was the more
profitable. to feed ccw milk producing
food and milk her dry in five years
or give her the old alfalfa and milk
her for ten years.
On one of our great railroad systems
a new locomotive is turned out, hooked
to the limited and for five years she
or better. Then, after she is given a
thorough general overhauling, she goes
to the local or freight, and in nvc
Years more she lands in the scrap heap.
1T does not pay to constantly overhaul
that engine and keep her up to top
speed" says the general manager. Its
, cheaper to scrap her and buy a new
one Mr.. c. II. Harrah, president of
, the Nlidvale Steel Co., testified before
the Labor Committee in Washington,
d. G., a few years ago. I'VE had men
WIN sup NitNutS oNtl tIt NpI MICH
working On axle lathes or whatever else
the work might be, and every time a
man looked up they took his time; every
! time he stopped to breathe they took
his time; in that way we got absolutely
the time employed in doing certain
mans work. We have the most mproy-
ed kind of machinery but we make it
rule to run a machine to break For in
stance; the life af hammer bar may
NE two Years; if that hammer does
the forge master because | know he is
not getting the work he ought to out of
that forge. 1t is the same way in the
machine shop. If lathe, the natural
life of which may be two years. does
not break down before that time | go
! for the man in charge. We have abso-
utely no regard for machinery or for
men,
The span of life of the producer is
short. His pleasure and Injuries few,
but when it comes to scrap heaping him.
with constantly increasing burdens that
tax his mental and physical vitality to
the breaking point, he objects and will
back his objection in the strongest man
ner possible. not on his own account
but on behalf of the children that are
to come after him.
Again he views with alarm the ever
increasing number of the unemployed.
! He sees with every new invention intro
duced, few more of his comrades
thrown out of work and drifting into
the army of the hobo Or, when hunger
presses too severely, recruiting the
ranks of the criminal. So long as the
profit system remains in power, the
producer sees but one remedy.
REDUCE THE HOURS OF LABOR.
The health of the nation demands it
According to German statistics sickness
decreased 30 per cent in shop and fac
tory on the introduction of the eight
hour day.
The peace of the nation requires it.
! The unemployed must have work if this
nation shall live.
The prosperity of the nation depends
upon it. New ideas aud inventions are
vital TO that nation that would keep
en- top in this era of commercial strife.
These are not borne in the brain of a
class whose shoulders bear an ever in
creasing economic burden. Increased
leisure means an increased flow of in
vention, eight hours for sleep, has been
preached long enough. The producers Of
the world are demanding that it be put
/ into practice.
We have trusted you, We masters of
industry, We have voted you and
your satellites into power; we have
created the wealth of the world and per-
mitted you to reap the major portion,
and when we have requested a reasonble
reduction in the hours of labor COM
mensurate with the tremendous progress