The Mena weekly star., 1912-02-01
STORY OF SLAVERY
IN STEEL TRUST.
Investigation by Department of
Commerce and Labor Shows De-
plorable Conditions Among EN-
ployes--12 Hours the Rule.

Washington, Jan. 27.-Following
a sweeping investigation covering
almost every great steel manufac-
turing plant in the United States,
the department of commerce and
labor in a report now ready for the
senate, accuses practically every
corporation Of maintaining sys-
item Of labor as cruel, relentless
land unnecessary as the galleys of
|ancient times.
Making the direct statement that
these corporations have instituted
la policy of eliminating the skilled
ARTISAN and putting in his place
the lowest form of unskilled work
men, who are paid IA cents an hour,
the report, which is now in the pos
session of the International News
Service. states that the men are
forced to remain on duty without
relief as long as "a hours at a
stretch, and that in some plants
i8 hour tricks are the rule, rather
than the exception.
0ne-fifth of the $4,000 employees
of blast furnaces, steel works and
rolling mills work 81 hours, or ~
hours a day, for seven days per
week. Many of them go to their
homes "only to eat and sleep"
In May, 1910, the period covered
by the investigation, il was found
that 10000 furnace and steel mill
employees worked regularly seven
days a week and that $4,000 worked
81 hours or more a week.
added significance attaches to
the conditions of labor here de-
scrihed,' says the report, when
we consider that the general ten
dency for years past has been to-
ward a shorter working day.
"Since the beginning of the pres
ent investigation" says the report.
"this matter of abolishing seven
day work for the individual en-
ployes in the blast furnace. as well
rs in other departments Of the in
dustry has received the attention
Of the American Iron and Steel In
stitute, and a plan has been pro-
posed which gives each employee
one day Of rest each week. and does
away with the "a or is hours of
consecutive work.
This plan. il is stated. has been
successfully operated by several
plants throughout the country.
The report shows that of the
i72706 employees. 1880 had a
working week of 70 hours or more.
Over one-fourth Of all the en-
nloyes had regular working week
Of more than 70 hours. Over $4,000
had working week of 81 hours or
more. while only 1880 per cent had
a working week of less than 60
hours.
Nothing Improved.
Nothing has been done by the
manufacturers, continues the re-
port, NOR have any proposals been
made to lessen the proportion Of
men working 70 hours or more q
week. or at least ~ hours a day for
six days a week. The proportion as
shown in this investigation ga per
cent? remains unchanged. being
unaffected by the plan to give the
men who are working 81 hours a
week one dav of rest in seven.
"Large as is the proportion that
unskilled labor forms of the total
labor force in the iron and steel
industry, steel experts have noted
the fact that the tendency of recent
years has been steadily toward the
reduction of the number of highly
skilled men employed and the
establishment of the general wage
on the basis Of the common or un-
skilled labor.
"Of the total of f72.706 employees.
1869 earned less than IA cents per
hour"
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