The Washington times., 1914-01-03
Employer Tells
Good Results in
Eight-HOur Day
InLOuiSVille Mill
By RALPH A. COLLINS.

With the economics OF the eight
ncTr day put forcefully before the
public by such prominent men as
Secretary of Commerce Redfeld at
the open disc Ission before the Amer
lean Association &c: Labor Legisla-
tiOn. this comparatively new IDEA.
but one long fought for by organiZ-
cd labor, has come prominently to
the fore. Much was said OF the in
creased ability ana capacity OF short
hOur workday men by Secretary A.
Z. GarretsOn Of the order Of Rail-
way Conductors and many others.
They declared that advanced en-
ployers who had an eight-hour day
, obtained an economic advantage,
even though arithmetically they ap-
paTentiy lost. Much testimony was
siver to show the better health,
strength, and capacity for work of
.he men who had leisure time and
were not too exhausted, but II re-
manned for S. Thurston Ballard to
show how an industry that has dated
almost back 10 the day of the first
man, has been revolutioniZed to the
cmrloye by the cight-hour workday.
MILLS KEPT GOING
"a HOURS EACH DAY.
Ever since the antediluvian first
around his cereal between stones.
the milling industry has been one OF
}onP hours. Long ago. in the first
da"s of the grist mill and the water
u heel. the miller kept farmers hours.
As the industry grew with the intro
duCtion of flour and meals to an en-
liSht, ming civilization. twenty-four
hours was the span of the water
wheels activity.
Mans incapacity to keep the hours
led TO the introduction Of two men
in the double shift Ever since then
the milling hours have been twelve
to the days work. These hours have
kept with the coming OF steam rover
hydro-electricity. and finally the
turbine. But one firm in what is
supposed to be the unprogressive
South has made an innovation. Con-
sequcntly, this milling company at
Louisville Ky, is looked upon by
labor men and advocates Of the
cight-hour day as the model mill OF
the country, and perhaps Of the
world.
Mr. Ballard attended the Congress
of the Association for Labor LeEis-
latiun OF invitation. The experiences
Of his firm. of which he is perhaps
Justly proud. are best told in his own
words. lie said:
after accepting the invitation 10
the congress | wrote to the secre-
tarics of various milling associations
TO learn the experience of others who
might have adopted the eight-hOur
day.
AS the answers to my letters came
in | Was surprised to find that, un-
less recently established, the firm
with which ] have the honor to be
connected. il practically the only
one operating a flour mill that has
adopted the eiSht-hOur shifts. Con-
sCOuently the onlT information l
will he able 10 CiTc you on the sub
jcCt is what we have learned from
personal experience.
I'VE have had the system in use
since July |. 1907. making an ex-
DerienCe now of full six years.
I'm all large -four mills the work
is continuous. nigh: and day. MAX
ing for the fun day Of twenty four
hours two shifts Of twelve hours
each.
I'm the mill proper, the work IS
usually ra:her light in character,
such as sweeping OilinG, and tend
ing machinery. where the man may
set himself a very slow pace If he
so desires We had no trouble with
the men who did this work. But
I'm the packing room it was "ery diff
fhrent for tile nom comes COWh III
n large and continuous stream and
must he packed in barrels ard sacks
Immediately.
while on two shifts we had
twrutv-twO men on each watch.
making fOrtX-fOur men to pack
our outfit in tWenty-four hours.
when We changed TO the eight
hour nasIs we required only fifteen
men to crew. or fOrty-f1Ve in all.
so that practically tho same num-
Der of men were able to do ths