The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-04
BY Samuel Gonlp /,

HNIH@Ao1NOs LH6 llOuES> OIL
labor is a revolutionary
force, Contrast the life Of
+ the toiler who works twelve
hours with that. of one who
~ works eight hours The
difference in the workday effects per-
sonal habits,i standards of living and
social relations. - j. t. -.
The man who works twelve hours
spends perhaps one hour going to
and coming from work, and surely
sometime for .meals-the rest of the
|, day is for sleep and-shal we say
opportunity for self Improvement.
Twelve long hours Of work exhaust
physical strength and fill the whole
body with the poison of fatigue and
so the deadentng effect: of the poison
is cumulative. There is neither en-
ergy, inclination, nor opportunity for
the man or the woman who works
twelve hours-the worker becomes
only a. work machine. The darkness
under which he creeps to and from
his work hides his misery and his
poverty from the world and often
from himself. Daylight and a chance
to see, stir up discomfort necessary
to arouse action.
The individual who works eight
hours or less does not each day ex-
haust his energy. He has time for
recuperation and something more.
His mind is more alert and active
He is capable Of more vigorous and
more effective work. He goes to and
| from work at time when we'll
! dressed people are on the streets. He
really has time and opportunity for
making comparisons and forming de-
| sires. He has longer time to stay at
home, sees other homes better fur
nished, and consequently wants a bet
ter home for himself He wants
books, pictures, friends, entertainment
! In short, he becomes a human being
| with intellectual desires and cravings
This change makes him a more valu-
| able worker. Because his standard
OF living has changed he demands
higher wages. Men and women will
not continue indefinitely to work for
wages that force them to live below
their concepts of what constitutes
standards of living
Th1s is why the shorter workday
is one of the primary, fundamental
demands of organized labor. The Ia
Dor movement represents organized
! discomfort with poorer conditions and
definite purposeful effort to secure
better. It represents ambition and
ideals.
- Early History.
PEFORE the labor movement of
- the United States was organized
upon a permanent, national basis, the
working day was from sun-up to sun
set. During the thirties there were
numerous efforts by trades. to es-
tablish ten hours. BY proclamation,
in 1910, the ten-hour workday was
ington, D. G. During the latter Six
movement, and the eight-hour day
! became the slogan. Eight Hour
Leagues were formed. Local labor
organizations: and economic assooia-
tons educated public opinion in the
philosophy of eight hours and the
benefits of the shorter workday. In
In 1868 a federal eight-hour law was
enacted. The National Labor Uniop,
organized in 1869, endorsed the eight
hour day. The Knights of Labor was
formed the same year and added i'm
! petus to the eight-hour movement
erous trade strikes for the eight hour
day. There was conviction and de-
sire, but the movement to obtain the
results LACKED direction and unity.
Three years after the American
Federation of Labor was organized,
based upon the principle of trade
autonomy, the 1884 annual conven-
ton adopted a resolution that the
trades should fix May /, 1886, as a
definite day and bend their efforts
toward establishing an eight hour day
upon that date. The movement
aroused enthusiasm and hope, and
was stirring the working people all
over the country. As result of this
united effort, trade, unions increased
greatly their numbers and powers.
Lectures and talks were delivered
literature distributed and agitations
held for the eight-hour cause The
opposition and the treatment, of the
leaders were of such a nature as to
develop among them devotion and a
spirit: of conservation to the cause
Eight hours was forcing: it's way
with irresistible power into work.
shops and factories, s.. =. Many. trade
, agreements were. signed before MAY
| l, but the dreadful Haymarket dis
aster I'm Chicago checked this unpre.
cedented progress. Nevertheless
three national, unions established the
eight-hou day during that campaign
} the cigarmakers; the German typo.
graphers, and the stonecutters..
The labor movement and the eight.
hour cause were not permanently re.
! tarded. The A. r. of L. decided t.
select some one international each
. year, and to concentrate all efforts
on securing the eight-hour day ir
that industry. AS time went by this
policy was no longer advisable, anc
securing the shorter workday is nov
the concern Of, the organizations il
each trade. -
| An. Accepted Principle
| As the years. have gone by, tn,
= eight hour, philosophy which or
igtnated in the misery and weary tot
! Of workers has become an accepted
l -