Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-01-04
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY.


the than the longer day the of the
men ought to be assured Most of the evidence which avail
able tends in that direction.
The eighthour day actual economy to the
employer He disregard the human aspect of the question
He overlook the comfort and health of the workers nvo
ed All he needs to consider the of manufacturing his
products On that ground alone the facts favor of the
short day.
Admittedly widespread scientific investigation has been
made But number of widely separated establishments have
made the experiment The results obtained different cou
tries much alike that tentative conclusion favor of
the reform is not to be avoided Workers in eghthou
shop waste less material They spoil fewer parts They pro-
duce more The net labor cost for each article is less
Altogether the eghthour day appears to be cheap
form is profitable change for the manufacturer If that
be rue-and present knowledge indicates the most
tanned at the same time by his workers.
FACTORY EXPERIENCE.
The monthly review of the federal bureau of labor has col
ected few reports which bear the belief that eight
hour day cheaper than the longer work period They
worth thought
The first that of the Commonwealth Steel Company
of Granite City, ILL., The wormen in the open hearth depart
ment and in the boerroom changed in 1912 from
tenn OF two twelve hour shifts to three eghhour shifts
the open hearth department this necesstaed increase in the
number of men from twenty-five thirty The rate of
wages per hour increased 20 per cent
In spite OF the higher pay spite of the larger number
men employed there slight decrease in the actual
of production This due the higher efficiency Of the
workers The quality of product was improved There
were considerable reductions in the pig iron charged
ana OF fuel oil used As business proposition the eghhour
A GERMAN EXAMPLE
The Zelss Optical Works of Jena, Germany, tell similar
story.
In 1900 the adopted an dav in place
OF the nnehour day shift previously in force The
put and earnings of body 233 worken were studied in or
der to ascertain the consequences of the change
The workers were paid piece basis which was not
But under the eghhour day the workers actually
earned 6 cent per hour than they did during
hour day The employees better paid during short day
and the cost af manufacturing lowered Workers of diff
results Jenas experiment adds emphasis was learned
at Granite City.
THE BELGIAN EXPERIMENT.
The Engis Chemical Works. once located near iege Bel
gum are likewise point In 1892 the eighthou day
was accepted Previously twevehour shift had been in
operation Under the shorter dav the workers aotno
engaged only during and half hours
Within SIX months the employees turned much in the
SNORT gay as they had previously done in the longer They
earned individually the same amount The of production
was reduced 20 per cent and the quality of the output was i'm
proved.
In addition to that the morale of the workers as well as
their physique was raised to much higher leveL''
THE ENGLISH TEST
England has forceuy learned the economy of the short
u ny Investigations OF the conditions in munitions factories
reports OF the government on the munitions trade help
10 lay the foundation for conception Of efficiency
But before Mr. Lloyd George commissioned his experts to
the war factories England had historic example of
the Instability of the eghthour day.
The Stafford Iron Works. engaged in the manufacture If
engines pumps and electrical machinery changed to an eight
hour basis In 1893 Twelve hundred workers were affected
record was kept OF the costs and the output The
paid were the same
At the end of the period study was found that the
output was slightly greater with eghhour day. The labor
cost traction higher But economies and tear" and
IN fuel balanced this Here the day cost roughly the
as the longer In the Judgment of the how
ever the improvement in the condition of the men was bene
Thus the eighthour day justified itself
In this country few establishments where the contrast
possible eterate this story Most lannon's of them ;s Tho
perience of Henry Ford.-Chcago Herald
WOMAN AS A FRIEND
woman cannot be friend In order to be friend one