davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Nev WorkpDay Isn't Nev AN Goes Back Far 1851 but
That Time the Law Applied Only to Cases "Vhere There is
No Contract A%eemeM to the Contrary

by the radicals in the labor movement. They
we're successful only TO the extent that the
eleven and ten hour day concessions were in
huenced to great extent by their demands Tor
greater concessions. Their first big victory
came in 1867, when in response to the demand
voiced by the General Workmens Congress
of two previous years eight hours was made
the legal day for Federal employees The pre-
vious year New York had passed the abortive
law previously referred to, as had Connecticut
In 1870 this state established eight hours as
the legal limit for those in its service, and the
movement seemed to be making Roadway that
nothing could check. The panic of 1873 and
the fearful period of depression following had
that effect, however Work was so scarce and
labor so plenty that men were glad TO take such
hours as they could get, and more than decade
passed before the movement was really under
way again.
By 1885 it was going full speed ahead again.
In that and the following year strikes for the
eight-hour day are declared by an authority as
being epidemic In New York alone 100000
men in various trades secured it on May /,
1886. Three years later the American Fedora
zion of Labor placed itself squarely behind the
movement and the following year $500 loyal
y supported the demands of the carpenters.
Since that time the movement has made con-
tinued Roadway, almost wholly however,
through the demands Of unions enforced as
often as not by strikes AS in the early days
when the worker first revolted against the
twelve and thirteen hour day, the most progress
has been made in the building trades The one
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

Buren, placed the stamp of national approval
the legal day in all government yards.
A shrewd guess might be that in order to get
men for the government shpyards it was found
expedient to make employment there as at
tractive as it was in private yards doing the
same class of work.
Another ten years and the building trades
of the East were largely ten-hour basis.
Meanwhile the factory workers or mill hands
were still working twelve hours, though they
agitated continuously and struck frequently for
a shorter work day. Just why they should be
less successful than the men in the building
trades, ship and house, does not first appear
clear though the explanation is simple. In
those trades the work was purely local-that is
to say, the carpenters of one city had little to
fear from the competition of men in the same
line in another place. This was not so with
the manufacturer. The bootmaker of Lynn, in
Massachusetts, had to compete with the boot
maker in Philadelphia, and any shortening in
the hours of labor in one place tended to handi-
can the manufacturer who might wish shorter
hours.
Bv 1875, however, the factory workers had
begun TO secure the shorter day, more by legis-
latiye enactment than by strikes. In the main
the beneficial legislation was passed not TO
benefit the general worker, but TO protect tha
women and children engaged in the manufact-
urine trades. The effect, however, had TO be
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

outstanding exception is the printing trade.
The printers in the early days had as long
hours as any other class of factory workers,
the first scale of big Six" the New York
local of the International Typographical
Union, fixing twelve hours as the maximum
for all, except those actually engaged in stick
ing type, the type stckers escaping with only
nine hours, and getting SO less a week. In
1867 one of its delegates TO the Memphis con-
vention, the late Theodore s. Conklin, placed
the national organization on record as demand
ing "a fair trial for the eight-hour day." APP
proximately forty years later, at immense cost,
the printers made good their demands.
OF late years those who have led in the
movement for shorter hours have refrained
from trying to secure the desired change by
legislation, this change in policy being due TO
a belief held by the majority that concessions
won without the aid Of legislation are in the
end less costly and likely TO be more permanent
than concessions secured with the aid Of legis-
lators, state or national.
They have come TO be fearful of jokers such
as the New York law of 1867 contained, and
of unpleasant experiences with the courts
in the Adamson case foreshadowing limit on
the right to strike when that measure was
passed. There is also the ever present posi-
bility Of repeal.
Legislators and Congressman are like the
Lord in one respect" says old Mother Jones,
speaking of this phase of labor uplift. "The
Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, and
what the lawmakers give you they can take
away. The only thing you are sure Of is what
you win for yourself.
The picturesque stormy petrol Of tho labor
movement said this in advance Of the Supreme
Court decision on the eight-hour law.
W. G. Lee. spokesman for the brotheYhood.,
said almost the same thing the day the decision
was handed down.
I'VE never wanted such legislation anyway"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

to suit themselves, happy state of affairs for
the master, his journeymen and his apprentices.
Then a manufacturer was "A working crafts
man. with whom was not associated the idea
of one commanding even limited capital. The
coming of the factory system changed all TINS,
and for the first time divided the workers into
two proups or classes-"mill hands" and the
skilled workmen of the building trades.
And with this change arose the question of
what should constitute days work. Under
the factory system numerous class OF WORK
men necessarily worked away from their homes
and long hours were burdensone. For ono
thing they missed the pleasures OF home ana
the small shop that tended 10 relieve the
tedium of the day. For another, there was the
time consumed in getting to the place Of labor
and returning at nightfall, making the twelve
hour day, the first standard in the factory,
really much longer. The building trades were
no better off than those who worked IN the lac
tories they erected, and agitation began early
for day of not more than ten hours.
To get this the building trades and the ship
builders, then as important trade as the de-
mand for submarine chasers and other vessels
now promises to make IT, struck IN Baltimore
and Philadelphia in 1926 These strikes failed,
and il was not until ten years later that the
sbipbuiders of Baltimore succeeded in making
their demands stand up. Five years later the
ten-hour day was the standard in that CITY
What influence the nearness Of the natiohai
capital TO the storm centre may have had Is not
clear. but in 1910, the year that Baltimore
workers settled the question, President van
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
well Run Our Own Business

There was a Polish lawyer who had fig
ured in some trouble at another plant. Our
workmen got him to prepare their set of
demands and come with their committee to
my Office, to do the talking. OF course |
refused to deal with him. Well always
deal with our men, but absolutely won't let
an outsider butt in. And when he was
eliminated there wasn't much left to the de-
mands which he'd prepared. The men
themselves really had no grievances.
What about unions?" | asked Mr.. Hen
messy.
The men can join all the unions they
want to. We don't discriminate against
them for it, but we won't recognize their
union Well run our own business. We
never have dealt with unions and we never
I hope we never shall.
"The cost of living was not factor in
either of the strikes. It's only in the last
three weeks (this interview occurred
last November) that there's been any big
increase in living costs. That was the rea-
son we have announced the 10 per cent in
crease. THE official announcement brought
the minimum wage from 1920 to $3.50, and
added % cents to the wage of all receiving
$3.50 or over) We look out for these
things. When the recent price rise began
we investigated | think this increase in
wages will cover the increase in living
costs"
asked about this investigation and how
the company arrived at the conclusion that
it cost % cents more day to live. They
were the only questions during the entire
three hours that received hazy answers.
"The Pole doesn't live" he resumed, "as
well as he could, as we'll as he should, on
his income. Nor does the lack of recrea-
tional facilities figure as a cause Of strikes
here. The Pole gets his recreation in the
saloon. To sit in barroom with some of
his fellows, drinking and talking-that is
his idea of play.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Discomfort Comes from Housing
Conditions

But housing-all his discomfort radi-
ates from his housing conditions. These
Poles huddle down there in the Hook, liv-
ing in very crowded quarters. The hus-
band comes home from work and finds a
lot of boarders in the way-one here and
enc there. and one of them always is half
drunk. If restrictions were placed on the
way they lived think things would be all
right. Henry Ford's plan about boarders
is a good one. You know he won't hire a
man who keeps boarders-it breaks up the
home life.
81 wish that Hook was cleaned out.
Things down there are not right A man
cant oyercrowd and be at his best. If
you don't live right you can't feel right.
No. that is not matter for the companies
it ought to be under supervision of the
city authorities. We should have rigid
health laws and the Board of Health ought
to enforce them.
Another thing for the betterment of
conditions down there would be to get them
to understand English. Two months of
schooling would acquaint them with Eng
lish."
| reminded Mr.. Hennessy Of the indus
trial schools for illtcrates which have
proved successful elsewhere.
"It's whole lot better for the school
board to handle that. The employer can't
afford to touch on the personal side-the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

10 longer in the class of mere expert
Mr.. Adhem has been a superin-
.ssnt for thirty-fve years, and has never
s4rike. His plant was operated last
chile neighboring industries were
70 close down. He insists that it
~. N been proven worth while on the cold
% - dollars and cents. But l am sure
- rere other reasons-which was why
: al him AbOu Ben Adhem' May his
he increase
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

TOW old is the eight-hour movement,
asked the city editor, when the at
tention of the country was focused
on the labor question by the decision of the Su-
preme Court unfolding the Adamson eight
hour act
| asked labor leader, man prominent IN
the affairs Of the American Federation OF
Labor since its birth and before that a col
league Of Powderly in the days when the
Knights Of Labor were supreme in the labor
world
About as old as Ann" said he, land If Ann
had lived she would be about forty now. i
link it dates back to the 70's."
As matter Of cold fact, the first law fixing
he hours of labor at eight was enacted In New
FORK fifty years ago, in 1857, TO be exact A
Nker in the law, however, prevented Its beng
much more than a dead letter, for it was also
FOvided that the law should apply only where
here is no contract or agreement TO the con-
hsry"
Earlier than that the demand that the day
divided into three equal parts, part 1or
aoor part for sleep and part Tor recrea-
hoh, had resulted in big strike in London.
MS was in 1853. The strikers lost. The next
'sar in far-away Australia workers IN Mel
Hurne united to secure the eight-hour day and
sOn. So far as the records 90 this was the
'nt time the principle had been enforced either
statute or through the efforts of organized
serkers.
The demand for shorter work hours, how
ger, dates back into the eighteenth century
aEngland, and 10 about the time of the second
var With England in this country. In both
"antries it made its advent with the develop
ssnt of the factory system, unknown in this
"antry until about 1912.
Previously, the length of the working day
''vulated itself just as to-day II is regulated
nue farm. What manufacturing there was
~ done in the household or in small shops
Sssre the workers could arrange their hours
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Il Wish Those Saloons Weren't
There"

"You know you must be lenient with men
and not take away their jobs just because
Of slip. Put yourself in their place. A
man comes to work drunk and we send him
home, but do not discharge him. While
he's drunk he's danger to himself and to
US. Yes. there's a good deal of that. The
men start to work sober, but they stop on
The way to take a drink. Some friend
asks them in-you know how it is. tell
the men when they do this to stay at home
and send word they are sick-for when
man takes drink he IS sick. | wish those
saloons weren't there. They're too close to
the plant.
81 have found the Pole a pretty good
workman. He works well. He is faithful
and steady and tries to give days work
for days pay. He's loyal to the company
and is not unintelligent. Some Of these
new men arc pretty keen at picking up
ways of doing things. We have these men
in every department of the refinery; some
of them are foremen. | am inclined to
think he pays his debts and is generally
honest.
81 wouldn't class drink as one of the
Poles weaknesses; he's a hard drinker, but
the liquor apparently doesn't affect his
work. His sex morals are low, but then,
living conditions are to blame for that.
They crowd up too much in the Hook.
They ought to be scattered out-therc
oughtn't to be any Little Poland in Bay
onnc Take those men that live outside the
Hook, and you do not find such immortality
Why, some of those Poles who live as they
should are men you'd be proud to know!
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
BayOnne Doesn't Like To BE Quoted

And, as if that were not enough, note
the attitude which Bayonne people assume
in speaking of these things. That edu-
Gator, Just mentioned, concluded his inter
view "But please don't mention my
name" And he explained why. Is it nee
essary to tell what that explanation was?
Is it necessary to tell why certain banker
hesitated to discuss affairs in his city;
why even the boldest Of men added this:
But I'd rather you wouldn't quote me-"
and why the timid exacted a pledge of con-
fidence?
do not chasge that the superintendent
of other plants go to Mr.. Hennessy, of the
Standard, for orders as to what they shall
paw their men. ] do say that the other in
dustries in Bayonnc would have raised
wages early last fall had there not been
"gentlemen's agreement" to let the Stand
ard make the first announcement, and that
it was recognized that the Standard would
have to wait while in order to "save its
face"-in order to associate the raise in
wages from the strike of October.
1t is not charged that there is anything
improper in the relations Of Garven the
Mayor with Carver the Standard Oil at
torney, but is it wrong to assume that the
Standard is net without a friend at court?
1t is not hard to believe that if a Sugges-
ton as to municipal legislation were made,
tenement legislation for instance, the city
commission which is headed by Garven the
Mayor might find it difficult to distinguish
between Standard Oil the client and
Standard Oil the corporate citizen.
Lastly, it is not charged that the Stand
ard exercises its powerful influence wrong
fully. But if the Standard does not domi
nate, if it is not the governing influence in
the industrial life Of Bayonne, then donri
nate does not mean dominate, but some
thing else. The Standards is the power,
and having the power, even if not using it,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
THE STANDARD OIL
AND IT'S EMPLOYEES
An Interview with q. B. Henncssy
superintendent of the Company's
Vast Plant at Bayonne

One cannot talk long with G.. B. Hen
messy without being convinced that the
general superintendent is loyal, absolutely,
to his company. He has given thirty-one
years Of his life TO the Standard Oil. He
believes in it-and whatever he believes in
he believes in emphatically. lie told me
with pride that many of his employees had
been with the company from ten to twenty
years.
There's one thing about the Standard"
he continued, that's worth consideration.
The Standard never reduces wages. AS
long as you are on the payroll your income
can move in only one direction, and that is
straight up. A lot Of these fellows who
are boosting wages during the war are
going to announce big reductions in time.
We don't start anything we can't keep
going
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
UnOfficially. Standard Sets the Pace

The first man talked with in Bayonne
was an employe of the Tidcwater. He told
me of the last strike at the Standard plant.
"The men at our plant weren't on strike
ne related. "There wasn't any use of it.
If the fellows at the Standard won an in
crease we knew we would get it, too. 1f
they didn't, we wouldn't. What was the
use Of our losing two weeks"
And another refinery employe: ut
wasn't hard to get our men to stay away
from the plant. We knew the strikers at
the big plant (the Standard) were fighting
our battle just as much as theirs. What
ever they got we would GET
I heard the same thing on every hand
from employees of many plants: What
ever the Standard pays the rest Of 'em II
pay, too"
A public school official was telling Of
the success of the school for iliterates and
of the efforts to get all the big industries
to adopt the plan. "If we could get the
Standard in line, the rest Of them would be
easy-they'd all follow"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Superintendent Native American

Mr.. Iennessy does not conform to the
popular idea of the self-made man. must
have been untactful, for he resented a
question in this direction. II think came
of pretty good stock" he retorted, and
mentioned that his brother had been the
general manager of a steamship line. A
native American, he received a good edu-
cation and had pretty fair start in life.
His first place with the Standard Oil Com
pany was in the pipeline construction de-
partment, where he began as tally man
outdoor work, but of clerical nature. He
soon became assistant superintendent on
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

been gained by strikes. In this way they
spread discomfort.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

ard. Official denial is made of such con-
nection. 1t wouldn't be hard to get the
truth. but | didn't even try. II wasn't
worth while. No amount of such facts
would alter the essential consideration.
The feeling of Standard domination and
leadership is in the air of Bayonne just
stacks Of its big refinery. Ask any trades
man, worker, professional man, realty
owner or banker. They'll all tell you the
same thing.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

TOW old is the eight-hour movement
asked the city editor, when the at,
tention of the country was focused
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-17
Married Life The First Year
BY Mabel Herbe liner

was her sewing basket just as she
had left it. And folded beside it
was a tiny white garment with a
threaded needle still in the seam.
His Many Memories.
He sat down by the table, and with
awkward reverent fingers touched the
little garment and the dainty fittings
of the basket-the slender shining
scissors, the blue silk needle book,
the strawberry bag and the silver
thinlble that was too small for even
his smallest finger.
He remembered the day he had
suddenly taken her in his arms while
she was sewing, and she had laugh
ingly pricked him with her needle,
and then with che of her childish
whins had tried to fl the thinble
on his finger, and had spread his big
hand out and put her own little one,
over it-laughing at the difference
in the size and whiteness-
! Many such foolish little memories
now flashed through his mind, things
j that had seemed so trivial at the
time, but that now seemed so preci-
Gus.
/ And still other memories came
memories of his impatience and self
! ishness, Of his cold rebuffs to her
pitiful little appeals for love.
How many times she had set on
the arm of his chair, the very chair
/ he was sitting in row, and had
wanted to kiss him, to "purr" oyer
him, as she called it. And he had
/ impatiently drawn away ard asked
to be let alone, that he wanted to
read his paper.
How hungry she had always been
for his caresses, and until lately how
few he had given her! She had
needed love as a plant needs water.
He had felt that all along, and yet,
! somehow her very clinging little ap-
peals for love had irritated him. The
more she had waned, the loss he had
/ given.
Waiting-Just Waiting.
From her room came the sound OF
a stifed cry. He started toward her
but the closed door held him back.
Would they never let him go to her?
All the love he had ever withheld
seemed now burning into his heart.
If she might only have a chance to
atone-he would love her so tenderly
as she so longed to be loved. If
only she would get well-if only!
He was still holding the little thin
BILE. He walked back to the table and
let it fall into the basket. What II
she should never wear it again
What if all these things must be put
away?
He looked around the room-every-
where was some evidence of herself
of her personality. What would
these rooms be like-what would his
life be like without her?
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-17
SEPTEMBER II, 1917.
One Hundred and Sixty-Second Day OF
America in the War.
EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A
GOOD LIBRARY.

One of the necessary items Of school
equipment is carefully selected library.
1t is essential that children be interested
in reading after they have learned how to
read, and development Of the reading
habit should be the aim Of every teacher.
a child so trained that he will like good
books will educate himself even though
his school course is discontinued.
Educators generally are giving more
thought each year to the selection of school
libraries, and in most sections they are pro-
vided as part of the regular equipment.
Escambia county has been backward III
this respect, but few of it's schools being
provided with creditable libraries. 1t is to
be hoped, however, that the deficiency will
soon be corrected and that every school
boy and girl will be afforded the benefits
to be derived from well-balanced collec-
ton of books.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-17

clothed, under the present authorize
ton for men, is 2,033, 900. Orders
have just been placed for 100000
additional uniforms. The men who
will wear these are those who viii
be drawn for replacement purposes.
The House, through the appropria-
ton hearings, has discovered that the
Council of National Defense has de-
cided the government in the purchase
of army clothing should deal direct
with the manufacturers wherever
possible.
"That does not mean" states Julius
Rosenwald, of the advisory committee
of the council, "that if we found a
man had a quantity of goods on hand
that we might use, that it was abso-
lutely positive we would not deal with
him, but we have deprecated the GUS
tom Of people going to the mills and
trying to come between the govern
ment and the manufacturers"
The cloth for the khaki uniforms,