The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-06-12
A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT,
Quality of Output Improved With
Greater Efficiency and Economy of
Gain in Dollars and Cents.

Greater Efficiency and Economy OF
operation-System Proved a Distinct
Gain in Dollars and Cents.
S. Thruston Ballard of Louisville.
KY, member of the industrial rela.
tions commission, related his personal
experience with the eight hour day to
the American Association For Labor
Legislation:
After accepting the invitation to
the congress | wrote to the secretaries
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 astonished to find that, unless
recently established. the firm with
which i have the honor to be connect
ed Is practically the only one operating
a -four mill shat has adopted the eight
hour shifts Consequently the only in
formation | will be able to give you on
the subject is what we have learned
from personal experience.
I'VE have had the system in use
since July /. 1907 making an expert.
ence now Of fully six years.
"In all large -four mills the work is
continuous, night and day, making for
the full day of twenty-four hours two
shifts of twelve hours each.
"In the mill proper the work is usu'
ally rather light in character, such as
sweeping, oiing and tending machin-
cry, 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 in the packing room 1t
was very different, for the -four comes
down In q large and continuous stream
and must be packed in barrels and
sacks Immediately.
"While on two shifts we had twenty.
two men on each watch, making forty
four men to pack our output in twenty.
four hours; when we changed to the
eight hour basis we required only tif.
teen men to crew, or forty-ive in all,
SO that practically the same number Of
men We're able to do the work when
they worked only eight hours that had
before done the same work when each
man had worked twelve hours. There.
fore / have come to the conclusion that
for any considerable length of time q
man doing active or laborious work can
do as much in eight hours as he can do
in twelve.
"In our boiler room the condition was
even more pronounced. There we had
two men known as coal passers each
working twelve hours. They were to
fire the boilers. clean out and wheel
away the ashes. This was very hot, la
borious work. and, although we paid
good wages, almost every week we
were compelled to get new man for
the job.
when we employed three men, each
for eight hours, we had no more trou-
ble The men We're satisfied with their
work and remained with US as good
loyal workmen who were contented and
pleased with their condition
"In our plant we have adopted short
er hours all through. In the Office even
we have at least one hour shorter work
day than most manufacturing plants
and in addition close the office on Sat.
urdays at 3 p. IN. the year round.
therefore | feel that from our ex.
perience, although we pay our men the
same wages for eight hours work that
we formerly paid for twelve and in q
few instances have found it necessary
to employ extra men, | feel sure that In
the quality of output and steadiness OF
running-in dollars and cents-it has
been profitable investment to oui
firm.
Looking at the eight hour day from
the standpoint of the men themselves
there are, we might say, three points
to consider-their health, their happi
ness and their morals"