Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-10-06

to the cost of production, and this
gentleman reasons as if the law would
, affect the lumber business only, while
the opposite is the fact.
No citizen can escape the provi
sions Of the proposed law. 1t would
affect the home Of every housekeep.
er, the Office Of every professional
man, the farm Of every dairyman, or.
chardist and farmer, the pay envel.
ope Of every wage Garner, the devel.
opment Of every manufacturing indus.
try and the profits of every mer.
, chant,
The proposed measure prohibits
employees from working in any gain.
full pursuit for more than eight hours
of any day and more than 4S hours
in any week OF seven days, with an
exception in case of the agricultural
industry in which employees may wo X
ten hours.
The first effect of the law, if adopt.
ed, would be to place handicap up
on every manufacturing industry in
the state that would make it impos-
sible for Washington manufacturers
TO compete with the factories of eth
err states where the eight-hour laws
do not prevail. 1t would at once eth.
err increase the overhead charges of
the employer of labor by 20 per g ST
or cut by 20 per cent the wages of
the man who works. If the workm-n
revolt against reduction of wages
and insist upon receiving the same
pay for eight hours work that thev
now receive for ten hours labor, tn :,
cost of manufacture increases by 20
per cent and makes 1t impossible for
the Washington manufacturer to
compete with his rivals in 9TH:
states.
The law would work severe hard
ship upon workmen in certain indus
tries, such as loggers, timbermen,
longshoremen, fishermen, and fruit
pickers and packers, whose employ
ment is not steady or continuous
through the year, but is dependent
upon seasons and tides. In many en-
pigments there are long spells of
enforced idleness between busy sea-
sons. Under present conditions, these
workmen are often employed long
hours for days or weeks at a stretch
and are then without employment for
other days and weeks. Their average
earnings for the year depend upon
their working extra hours when en-
ployment offers. The proposed law
would prohibit them working for more
than eight hours, even in the busiest
season, and thus make it impossible
for them to take advantage of oppor-
tunities for making an average year.
ly wage. The proposed law would
put a ban on the industry of the man
who, in his desire to own a home or
improve a ranch, is willing and anX-
ious to work ten or more hours a
day.
The state of Washington is begging
settlers to 60 upon the lands and i'm
prove them. The pioneer farmer is
rarely in position to employ many
hands, yet less work per man means
more hands. Wheat does not stop
ripening from p. m. Saturday until
8 a.. m. Monday, and the rain does
not hold off just because there is a
law prohibiting the farmer from
working his men more than ten hours.
Farmers and their hands do not work
more than ten hours all of the time,
but their farms would be confiscat-
ed if they did not work more than
ten hours some of the time.
The proposed law would enter the
hospitals and the sick rooms and pre-
vent nurses from working more than
eight hours day and six days a
week. 1t would prevent household
employees from working more than
eight hours a day, six days a week,
and compel them to work for less
wages and upset the domestic ar
rangements of many homes.
And the burden would be borne by
the consumer. The extra cost of Ia
Dor in the field, the added expense
Of manufacturing, and the increased
expenses of the merchant would all
be totaled and passed on to the con-
sumner in his bills for rent, fuel, pro-
visions and household necessities, ma
terially increasing the already too
high cost of living.