New-York tribune., 1919-11-08
Length of Working Day Is
Next Question To Be
Threshed Out, Employee
Group Favoring 8 Hours
Marshall Urges Concord
Nice-Presidcnt, in an Unex-
pected Address, Counsels
Patience and Fair Deal
BY Chester M. Wright
NeW York Tribune

the international Labor Conference will
adopt as world standard working
week OF forty-eight hours and that the
main point of conflict Will be whether
of eight hours as the length Of the
working day. Labor's proposal is for
maXlmum elEht-hour working day
me conclusion virtually is unan-
nous that there is no possibility, unde r
the treaty, of obtaining forty four
hour week, although the labor proposal
recommends it. I.abor's effort in that
direction will centre on an effort to
nave the forty four hour week placed
on the agenda for the next conference.
Vice President Marshall was an un-
expected guest Of the conference this
afternoon. He advised the delegate
to let radicals and conservatives Ia k
out their differences. And may the
god Of nations, who has got MS out OF
TINS war, keep us safely in the orbit
OF peace and quietude and good order
in our industrial relations" he added.
Conference Invited to Mount Vernon
Mr.. Marshall's coming was looked
upon by many as a diplomatic rcpara-
ton for the criticism Of Senator Sher-
man in the Senate The reparation, if
such it WAS, went further The CON
ference was invited by Secretary OF
non as guests Of the navy aboard the
Mayhower
The Vice president made clear the
status of the conference in re alton to
the United States government "You
are here he said, "at the invitation
of the President of the United States
and in accordance with joint resolu-
ton Of the Congress Of the United
States"
Mr.. Marshall's counsel was for pa
tience. Il don't know enough about
your problems to discuss hem with
.ou.' he said. a have troubles of nv
own. am pres iding over the Senate,
where there is a distinct fort to write
ninety six separate treaties with the
N peral German government
"For Gods sake, get at the solution
OF these problems in a spirit Of amity
and concord, and friendship and COM
mon, human sympathy. The surcst way
TO the solution of these problems IS
not from the bitter standpoint Of your
own wrongs. but from the common
standpoint Of the Nazarene. 'Whatso-
ever you would that men shou d do
unto you, do You even also unto
ihem'
S R. Parsons, Canadian employer
delegate. ca ed upon the conference to
avoid sweeping alterations in the eco
nomlc Wor d. lie advised against short
cnng the work day. He looked upon
radical change il this respect as the
sutest way Of wrecking our civiliza-
ton"
Text of Labor Proposal
The draft Of the labor proposal,
which will be discussed as an amend
ment to the draIt convention submit
ted BY the organizing comm ttoc, sets
UP the elgNt-hour day and tortS-e gat-
hour week IS standards and makes this s
main provisions:
The working hours OF emp oyed per
sons shall not exceed eight hours a
day and forty eight hours IN the week,
except only in cases which can be
justified By accidents, SUCH IS fire
flood or Unforeseen catastrophes. The
provisions Of the present convention
shall not, however applN to the per
sons holding positions Of supervision
Or management or enjoyed in a conf
Dental capacity. When persons are
emp Dyed in three shifts, as in blast
employ persons in excess OF iorty-e gh :
hours IN any wce6 Of tne average num-
Der Of working hours over a period Of
three weeks does not exceed forty
eight.
he limit Of eight hours in the day
and forty ght hours in the week may
be exceeded with the privilege of a
corpensatlng rest in case Of accident,
breakdown Of machinery or plant. but
only so far as may be necessary 10
ave serious Interference witn the
ordinary working Of the undertaking.
In indu tries which require by
reason OF the nature of the industry
processes to be carried on contnu uJusl Y
by a succession of shifts. the lmita-
tion Of the hours Of WORK shall not
affect any holidays which may he a.
sured FOR the workers in such indus
tries by law, including the we KY rest
to which al workers are entitled
'The limit Of eight hours in the day
and forty eight hours in The week may
be extended to not exceeding fifty
four hours in the week f6r certain
special Classes OF workers.
"ln seasonal industries overtime may
be worked for not more than seventy
hours Year, subject to the condition
that worker WI en- employed overtime
IN excess Of the daily eight hours shall
receive rate Of pay which shall be
higher by at least so per cent
Labor Inspection Department
THAI condition is inserted in order
to make, so far as possible overtime
work impossible. The international
labor Office is charged TO convene a
special meeting to consider the mer-
camille marine and agriculture with as
little delay AS possible.
THE workers delegates demand
there be organized N each country a
depar ment of labor inspection, staff ed
by government officials and delegates
appointed by workers organizations
and which department. among other
things, shall be charged with the in
vestigatlon Of the application Of inter
national conventions, and shall make
an annual report 20 the international
labor Office.
The workers delegates recommend
that all countries should introduce a
Saturday afternoon holiday and limit
the working week TO forty four hours .
The labor proposal would delete all
reference TO war on the ground that
this meeting is meeting for the pur-
pose Of avoiding war. We are in favor
of the abolition OF war" says the
draft"
A cable message received to- day from
Paris informed the conference that
Austria will not send delegates ard has
so notified the Supreme Council of the
league OF nations. The same message
said the German delegation expects TO
sail about November Is.
Special Permit Necessary to
0uyr, Car Ary,,v R,,Ioa