The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-24
SHORT DAY AND
STRONG DRINK
Why Printing Craftsmen Arc
Consuming Less Liquor.
EIGHT HOUR WORK PERIOD.

Many Dement'S Rave Some inFou9H
Lessening the Hours of Toil--condi-
tons In the Old Days contrasted
With the Present-Short Day Pow
erfuI 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 it Is
a fact that habitual "rummies" are be-
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 were common occurrences. Ere
quently the workers would labor four
teen hours, day after day, with only a
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 half hour each
vas allowed for eating lunch and sup
per q large number of printers dined
In the "liquor palaces" for the reason
that there was not sufficient time to
eat decently in 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 class of
people who to considerable extent
may be termed "temperamental." AS
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 a mo,
ment, the proportion of brain work
that must be done by printing press
men, typographers, proofreaders, IL
thographers, engravers, electrotypers,
ETC., In addition to their manual labor,
and the majority Of editors, Journal
lists and newspaper writers are Ssiii ss'
| ployed in printing plants and work
under practically the same conditions
as the printers.
The point In the foregoing paragraph
is 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 to the theaters
and from taking part in evening
social affairs. In fact, decade age
long working hours and extra work
robbed these folks of all 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 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'
| cially the night workers, ought to be
leaders In the temperance movement
for on a number of the large dailies
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 (D lunches, for now many
of them enjoy a longer dinner time
In the evenings the printers and Their
+ families can be noticed at the theatel
or in many instances at the moving
| picture houses Heavy drinkers are
disappearing from the printing bust
ness. Many have become total alb
stainers from alcoholic beverages. and
while common sense has had great
deal to do with this, the shorter work
day has been powerful aid Robert
F. Salade in Scientific Temperance
Journal.
| Qfrika In hverted