The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-04
The Shorter Work Day It's Philosophy

- - ~ = 's'l''' a - =. @s.
selves they value it and maintain II.
They. are organized In such way
that they can give exp ressaon to their
will and secure results ia the most
directive possible 81: 81 II. &
Two, nhnences have been operat-
ing to develop sentiment In favor Of
blishing in private industry, legis-
lative regulation of contractual- Fela-
tons; one, an ardent enthusiasm to
accomplish big results by one revolu-
tionizing regulation, the other sort
of moral flabbiness that refuses to
assume responsibility for Its own life
but endeavors to cast upon society
not only all responsibility for the en-
Vironment in which people live and
work, but also responsibility for SEE
curing for them conditions that are
desirable and helpful 49, H.
: The latter is q reputation OF the
characteristics that enabled Ameri-
cans tor get results. They never fear
ed the1 hard places but. dared to
wrestle with primeval country. They
were red-blooded men land women
with ruggedness in their Wills. They
were ready to fight for right and just
Ice and equality, ready to defend what
was rtghtfully theirs. This is the
spirit that has made the American
labor movement the most: aggressive
labor organization tn the world, and
has made its members the most ef-
ficteut workers to be found anywhere.
The American labor movement has
done things for the workers despite
hostility of employers and indiffer-
ence of society. 80
! Then as to other ir4fuences-the de-
sire to secure the big thing at one
fell ,swoop." That has appealed to
the imagination of dreamers and those
who are infected with intellectual
phantasmagoria. r. ~ -
They forgot that after all perma-
nent changes and progress must come
from within man. You can't save
people-they must save themselves.
Unless the working people are organ
lied to express their desires and needs,
and organized :. to-. express: their will,
,, any other. method tends to weaken
Initiative. 3
And this is not narrow policy, un-
mindful Of the difficulties and hard
ships that encompass overworked, ex-
| plotted. workers. The organized. la
| Dor. movement has done much for
the unorganized; in ecalculable ways
! the -unorganized have been the bene-
I. f1ciaries Of the fights and struggles
| of the organized. :. -: ..: f..
= Long Hours Abolished.
u ECAUSE Of public opinion that
~ has been formulated and reused by
organized labor, tl1esold workday Of
| fourteen to: sixteen hours has practice
ally passed away. The twelve-hour
workday obtains in but. few indus.
tries, whereas, ten, nine, and eight
hour days have been secured by orr
CARNATIONS: Then; the benefit is
necessarily bestowed upon allied
trades, because of association in the
same industry. The burden of the
eight-hour fight has been borne by
organized labor. Now there are few
who deny .labor's claims, and there are
manyf synpa thicsscientists and public-
lists ready to substantiate them. This
Is a heritage the organized bestow up-
! on the workers of. today.
| Organized labor created the senti-
ment for an eight-hour day-it has
made possible and secured the eight
hour day for many trades. Without
organized labor it would be impossi-
BILE to maintain ain eight-hour day In
any trade or industry. The labor
movement, which is the organized
workers directing and controlling their
own affairs and destinies; is the only
! dependable defense and protection OF
| fh0ao WIN runy>lr fo>. eree -! "
! If the: workers surrender control
over working relations to legislative
and administrative agents, they put
their industrial liberty at the disposal
Of state agents. They strip them
selves bare Of means Of defense
they can no longer defend themselvei
by the strike. To- insure Liberty, and
personal welfare, personal relationi
must be controlled only by those
concerned. = So - |=::e::;' ~ ~
{. But after all, even If IT, is the
quicker way, is the quick way always
the best way? Suppose you have a
I boy for whom you are fondly am.
bilious. Yolfsw him to be a. bust
ness or. a prof success-do
YOU start him in, either at the age OF
ten, or. do you wait upon the pro-
cess Of education? When he finally
fembarks In business or a profession
do you dictate and regulate each
feature, or do you advise: and leave
the boy to solve his own problem and
make his own decisions? -. r=.s-,.
So with the eight-hour or shorte,
| workday in private employment. Il
Isl as stated at the beginning, the fund.
I amental sobject for workers who are
seeking better things: But when
forced upon them BY law, or giver
I them without their approaching III
! value, they frequently look upon i,
as injustice or hardship. They, have
not been able to make agreements
Tor the adjustment Of wages, hence
they apprehend that decreasing the
hours Of work means to them de.
creased pay. No: @ n. l. Il
Often securing the eight-honr day
Lby outside agencies means that or.
xanization = retarded or checked