The sun., 1919-06-24
URGE "A HOUR WEEK
AT A.F.L. MEETING
Delegates Want Double Time
Penalty for Employers
Asking Overtime.
PLAN KEY STRIKE END
Labor Unrest Laid to High
Cost Of Living and I'm
employment.
Special psspatch to THn suS.

Special Dsspatch to TIE SuS.
ATLANTIC CITY, June 23.-Overtures
looking toward the settlement of ths
commercial telegraphers strike adop-
ton of resolutions urging a universal
forty -four hour week for all workers,
with a double time penalty upon EN-
p:oyers who demand overtime; the de-
| cision Of the railroad brotherhoods to
srbitrate with the Federation. these
were the high spots to-day in the clos
ing sessions of the thirty-ninth annual
convention Of the American Federation
of Labor.
Unqualified Endorsement was given by
the convention to the telegraphers in
their walk out because fundamental
union principles found no recognition
from Postma ster-General Burleson and
authorized the appointment OF a COM
mittee that will be sent to washington
to seek revocation OF Mr.. Burleson's or
ders on the subject
The labor leaders took sharp issue
| with the action of the Mayor OF Toledo,
Ohio. for utilizing returned soldiers as
citizen police in a labor controversy there
| following the strike Of employees of a
big automobile plant. The convention
| adopted a resolution calling upon the
Secretary Of War to take immediate
steps. by legislation or otherwise, to
prevent such use OF the uniform OF the
United States army or navy and TO pro-
vide proper and adequate punishment,
| for those who so use or caused to be
| used such uniform for such purposes IS
There were many blistering speeches
on the subject before the resolution was
| accepted.
The report of the committee on short
! err working hours was the big feature OF
| the days proceedings. In part It de-
| clared:
In giving consideration to a shorter
, work day at this time there are many
things to be taken into consideration
In the first place It must be realized
that during the war five million of the
most active young men in the country
were taken from Industries for wal
service. In spite OF this the produc-
ton of the country during the war pc
riod was greater than II had been at
any other given period in history.
Needs of Labor shown.
Labor organizations for many years
have been fighting to secure the eight
| hour day. once known as the shorter
work day This eight hour day meant
forty-eight hours Of labor per week.
Because Of the changed condition
brought about by the war a number o!
| the industries have been able already 10
introduce the forty-four hour week. con-
tinuins the eight hour day with a Sat
urday half holiday.
Your committee believes II will be
but short time until the eight hour
day with the Saturday half holiday will
be the universal hours Of labor and
| adopted in all industries.
III ere is at the present time a large
volurie of unrest among the working
mep Of this continent There can be nc
dclbt but that there are two reasons
for this unusual condition. first. the high
cost of the necessities of life; second
Unemployment.
Until wages are so adjusted that
earnings of labor will buy the same
amount of the necessities OF life tina,
could be purchased by the earnings pre-
vious to the war this unrestful exhibit
ton by the working people has a foun.
dalton for its existence and cannot be
set aside.
| Manufacturers and employers OF
labor should recognize this fact and In.
crease the wages to this point withou,
any controversy.
Regarding unemployment. II Is al.
most impossible to peruse a daily paper
without finding somewhere in its col
| umns a statement that every effort
| should be made to secure employment
for soldiers returning from across the
sea or from the camps maintained In
this country. This Is a most laudablt
effort and meets with the approval Of
all classes of people. However. for tho
general good of the community work
must also be provided for civilians as
we'll as ex-service men. This can bes
be done by the shortening of the hours Of
labor.
There Is no doubt but that in tht
near future many organizations will de
termlne that in order TO take ca-c Of
all of their members gaining a llveli
hood by employment at their trades II
will be necessary to inaugurate a sll
hour day.
Double Time Penalty.
Fhe convention unanimously adopted
the report and in addition an amend
ment offered by Delegate Bernstine O
! the Garment Workers International de
clarink that double time be the mini
mum charge for all overtime as the pen
atty employers must pay. as a means o
dlscouraging a longer working day thar
1 III. aea