The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-03
LABOR MOVEMENT
FOR 8-HOUR DAY
(F'rom Committee on Industrial Re
1atiOnS.)

1ations.)
Washington, March 2.-The organ
lied labor movement of America is
raIlying as one man to it's demand
for eight-hour working day. New
er before has this demand been so in
sistent and SO compelling. Never
before has labor had such lnagnifi-
cent opportunity to enforce by it's
own efforts the application of a, work
ing day that gives the citizen who
works the time and opportunity to be-
come, in the words of President Com
pers of the American Federation of
Labor, ga human being with intellec-
tua1 desires and cravings"
The Labor Center Association of
New York City has just recently Civ
en- fine assistance to labor to express
and get before the American public
it's righteous demands for the eight
hour day. All groups and organiza-
lions and agencies of publicity that
recognizes the rights of labor are Civ
ing voice to the same compelling de-
mand.
The splendid work of Samuel Com
pers, voicing the organized labor
movement, have placed the eight hour
day on an impregnab1e rock of JUS
tice and righteousness. President
Gompers said:
1.-THE individual who works eight
hours or less does not each day ex-
haust his energy He has time for
regeneration 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 a time when we1l-dressed
people are on the streets. He really
has time and opportunity. for making
comparisons and forming desires He
has longer time to stay at home, sees
other homes better furnished, and
consequently wants better home for
himself. He wants books, pictures,
friends, entertainment In short, he
becomes a human being with intel
Iectual desires and cravings This
change makes him a more vaiuabie
worker. Because his standard of liv
ing has changed he demands higher
wages. Men and women will not con-
tinue indefinitely to work for wages
that force them to live below their
concepts of what constitutes stand
ards of living"
After thorough investigation, the
main or Manly report of the United
States Commission on Industrial Rela-
tons, signed by Frank p. Walsh, John
B. Lennon, James O'Conne1, and
Austin B. Garretson, declared:
THE physical well-being, mental
development and recreationa1 needs of
every class of population demand that
under normal circumstances the
working day should not exceed eight
hours
of the Labor Centre Association, Jas.
O'Conne11, president of the Metal
Trades Department of the A. F. of L.,
and member of the Committee on In
dustrial Relations, said:
There is neither energy, inclination
nor opportunity for the man or wo-
man who works ten or twelve hours /
per day. The worker only becomes
a work machine. The darkness I'M
der which he creeps to and from his
IT.. n /
from the world, and often from him
up discomfort necessary to arouse ac-
ton
'eThe demand for an eight-hour
day." declared Austin B. Garretson,
President of the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Conductors, and member of the
on Industrial Relations.
sis not only ethically but biological
ly and socially weL-founded, and, in
trains, is the basic element of the
widely hera1ded motto, Safety First -
Out of the long work day and out
Of low wages and unemployment and
the degrading conditions of life that
follow long hours of exacting and ex-
hausting work spring such undiscf-
plined riots of misery as the recent
one of Youngstown, Ohio.
In its demand for the eight-hour
work day, the organized American
labor movement is laying the essen
Efal foundation to enduring economic
Justice and to the best citizenship for
The republic.