Evening journal., 1918-07-15
S-HOUR DAY ADDS
millions TO costs
"Living.Wage" Program
Also Expected to Affect
War Industries
CONTRACTSLlKELY
TO BE READJUSTED

WAChlN1lOAfl JuAg lOt-Auo utCl-
slon OF the national war labor board
favorable to establishment OF the basic
elght-hour day In all plants engaged
directly or indirectly on Government
work, with its sympathetic attitude to-
ward raising the pay Of workers TO a
"living wage scale" Is expected 10 re-
suit in an Increase Of many millions Of
dollars to the cost Of contracts.
II was learned yesterday a majority
of the war labor board Is definitely IN
favor OF the basic elght-hour day and
q living wage TO ell workers and the
views Of the members are so pro-
nounced that estimates are being pre-
pared to see the increased cost 10
the government under such a working
scale.
Members Of the board conceded that
enforcement OF the basic elght-hour
day, as means OF fixing the pay OF
workers, coupled with the decision 10
readlust wage scales OF the lower
grades Of labor on a scale in keeping
with rising costs OF living, will neces-
state changes In contracts which will
enable industries 10 escape heavy flnsn-
cial losses or grave delays In contract
completion.
II was held likely that supplements
10 existing contracts will be prepared.
providing for additional compensation
10 manufacturers whose payrolls will
be increased substantially by the
boards decisions. The average work
ing day, it was stated, In thousands OF
snfn rrA
subcontracts. Is ten hours. II It Is
found necessary, in order 20 deliver
essential war materials TO maintain
ten hour day workers Will receive
time and half for all work over
eight hours. This fact coupled with
the decision IN the Waynesboro Pa
case where 5000 workers in eight
plants are awarded a minimum OF
forty cents an hour when common la
borers making twenty-five cents were
asking for an increase to thirty cents,
reveals at once members OF the board
pointed out, that heavy financial in
crease that Will follow II such
policy Is followed In other cases now
pending and those that may arise in
the future.
on July 20 the amount OF pay which
Is regarded as a living wage-the
minimum wage TO permit the worker
end his family 10 "subsist In health
and reasonable comfort"
Attention is directed to the fact that
IN the Waynesboro industries, the men
in the lower grades OF work were re-
eeivlng on a scale very much lower
than that which prevails In the Phila-
delphia industrial district. The vol
untary increase OF ten cents an hour
above the actual demand OF the work
ers was given by the board on that
ground. The Waynesboro employers,
realizing the difficulty Of holding work
ers on a scale OF pay very much lower.
agree with the board In the belief that
an even greater advance than de-
manded should be allowed.
1t is expected that employers gen
erally Will be found to favor Standard
zatlon OF wages within a certain indus
trial district, as Il Is held that only by
such a system can workers be con-
tented. The war labor policies board.
OF which Felix Frankfurter is chair
man, now at work on the problem
Of Standardization wages. An appeal
has been addressed 70 all government
departments and agencies TO refrain
from making any changes in existing
labor standards pendinN the decision
Of the labor policies board. Mr.. Frank
furter permitted publication Of the
following resolutions:
Whereas, The war labor policies
board was appointed TO establish hsr-
mony in those industrial matters, on
which the government departments
were agreed that there should be
unity Of action, and
Whereas, The war labor policies
board has now under aGvisement meth
DDS OF Standardization, Of wages, hours
and conditions OF labor In establish
ments engaged on war work and IS now
with that dispatch compatible with
the importance Of the interests in
volved conferring on war labor policies
with representatives OF organized Ia
her, OF industrial management and OF
Governmental departments and other
agencies. Therefore be It
Resolved, That the war labor poll
cies board urgently requests the de
partments and boards represented to
refrain from making changes in pres
ent standards pending the standardiza-
tion now under consideration.
Secretary OF the Navy Daniels is
strongly in favor OF the establishment
OF the basic eight-hOur day in all
plants engaged directly or indirectly
on navy work. The War Department
is on recOrl for a similar policy. but
the war labor board found, in its in