The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-07-14
AVOID ENCLAND'S
LABOR MISTAKES
Warning 10 the Legislators Who
Would Suspend Laws.
WORKERS MUST HAVE REST

Proposed Suspension . of Restrictive
Measures Will Defeat Patriotic Pur-
pose of Their Advocates-Great Brit
ain Found That Undue Haste Was
Nearly Fatal
Every member of the New York leg
islature received IAN unansWerable
argument for sustaining labor legisla-
ton In the form OF pamphlet on
"MunitiOn Workers In England and
France" summarizing reports Of the
British ministry of munitions. This
pamphlet, issued by the Russell Sage
foundation, is to be followed by re-
port on labor conditions already endan-
gering munition production in Bridge
port, Conn. Is
'In the light of England's frankly
confessed mistakes" said Miss Mary
Van Kleeck of the Russell Sage fOun-
dalton, the New York state legisla-
ture will but defeat its own patriotic
purpose if it should pass the bills now
pending to suspend the labor laws.
Those who believe in prosecuting this
war with vigor must realize that the
British ministry Of munitions has
proved that maximum production can
be secured only through insistence on
good working conditions, feQSI l2Dly
short hours and one days rest in sew
en-. The conditions prevailing in some
of our own munition factories even be-
fore our entrance into the war show
that We have as yet paid little heed to
England's experience.
"In an investigation among the wo-
men munition workers of Bridgeport,
Conn, we found many Of the same
evils, though not to the same degree as
in England during the first year Of the
war. Night work for women on ten
hour shifts was common; overtime, in
adequate protection Of the workers
against accidents and disease and
crowded living conditions were con-
spicuous facts in the industry. Efforts
to strengthen the law in Connecticut
have been defeated in the mistaken be-
lief that patriotism demands the re-
moval Of all restrictions On working
conditions.
"In England the recklessness of he'll
ter SHELTER haste was dramatically
brought home by the famous shell
shortage in the spring of 1915. In the
! first burst Of patriotic fervor every
thing had been sacrificed to speed
Labor laws had broken down; Sunday
labor, overtime, night work for womer
! and children, excessive hours of labor
prevailed in the factories. The commit
tee on the health of munition workers
| after a careful investigation and in
tensive study in certain plants of the
| relation Of hours of labor to output
concluded that increased output was tt
be gained through the saving of thu
workers health and strength and III
increase in the labor force, not through
the taxing of endurance to the break
ing point.
Their recommendations were tina
seven day labor be abolished for al
workers; that excessive overtime b.
reduced by the extension of the shift
system; that the hours of labor b.
adapted to the age and sex of til,
worker and the nature Of the employ
ment and that night work should b.
avoided, but where necessary becaus
Of extreme shortage Of labor it shoulC
be organized in eight hour shifts.
"If New York is to produce the sup
plies needed for the war its presen
labor laws must be maintained"