The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-01-07
SHORT DAY AND
STRONG DRINK
Why Printing Craftsmen Are
Consuming Less Liquor.
EIGHT HOUR WORK PERIOD.


Lessenns the Hours of Toil-Condi-
tions In the Old Days Contrasted
With the Present-Short Day Pow
erful Aid of Temperance.
There are scientific reasons why
printers and craftsmen in the allied
trades are drinking less intoxicating
liquors than In former years, for 1t is
coming scarce In the graphic arts in
dustry.
In times now gone by the regular
working day consisted of ten hours,
and overtime and Sunday work in those
days We're common occurrences. Ere
quently the workers would labor four
teen hours, day after day, with only u
half hour each for lunch and supper.
The writer remembers himself doing
ten continuous weeks Of such day and
night work during one winter season
Then It was the general custom
among many printers to hurry for the
nearest saloon Immediately after the
evenings work was through. Then
the saloons offered about the only rec
reation for the men after working day
and night for long intervals And as
In those days only a half hour each
was allowed for eating lunch and sup
per a large number Of printers dined
Al, 10 4
that there was not sufficient time to
eat decently in a restaurant. Not many
printers are in the habit of carrying
lunch to the shops.
Now, printing and work of the al
lied trades are very tedious. 1t re-
quires long years of practice to mas
ter any one of the graphic arts. Thus
the printing trades attract a class of
people who to a considerable extent
may be termed "temperamental." AS
a class they are highly strung, and
nervous folk. liable to feel the strain
of their various tasks more readily
than out of door workers, are affected
by their labors. Consider, for mo-
ment, the proportion of brain work
that must be done By printing press
men, typographers, proofreaderS, IL
thographers. engrayers, electrotypers.
etc, In addition to their manual labor,
and the majority Of editors, journal
lists and newspaper writer's are en-
ployed in printing plants and work
under practically the same conditions
as the printers
The point in the foregoing paragraph
La this When such highly trained in
door workers are forced TO toll con
stantly for long hours they must aft
erward enjoy some relaxation and rec
reation. Continuous overtime will pre-
vent them from going 10 the theaters
and from taking "A part IN evening
social affairs. In fact, a decade ago
long working hours and extra work
robbed these folks Of ali ordinary
amusements, and even their home life
was destroyed. Only one popular and
universal pleasure" remained-the
brilliantly Illuminated liquor saloon.
That is why so many of them became
steady patrons of strong drink
This is not a plea for the shorter
working day in the printing and allied
industries. for it is already here, thank
God, and the effect SO far among the
workers has been wonderful. Actual
ly the health and morals of several
hundred thousand people in the print
ing and allied trades have been great
ly improved through the coming of the
eight hour workday Judging by this
standard, the newspaper men, espe-
ctally the night workers, ought to be
leaders In the temperance movement,
for on a number of the large daiies
many OF them work only seven hours
each day.
1t is remarkable fact that since the
eight hour day came in the printing
world overtime has all but been elimi-
mated. Seldom in these days does one
hear of large establishment doing ex-
ira night work. There are regular
night forces in some Offices. of course,
but 1t is hoped that these also will
soon be an evil of the past, for it Is
not right that any one should be forced
to work when nature itself sleeps.
So today at noon the restaurants are
crowded with printing craftsmen, and
but few of them are partaking of the
saloons free q lunches, for now many
OF them enjoy a longer dinner time.
In the evenings the printers and their
families can be noticed at the theater
or in many instances at the moving
picture houses. Heavy drinkers are
disappearing from the printing busi-
ness. Many have become total abb
stainers from alcoholic beverages. and,
while common sense has had a great
deal to do with this, the shorter work
day has been powerful aid.-Robert
r. Salade in Scientific Temperance
Journal.