The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-09-12
LABOR LOOKING
TO The FUTURE
Two Definite Purposes in the
Movement for Lessening
Hours of Work.
MORE VOICE IN INDUSTRY
The Time In Which to Acquire Tech
nical Ability is One Air1-To Make
Work Available for All Available
Workers Is the other.

Workers Is the Other.
| Worklngmen are asking for shorter
hours with two definite purposes in
view, according to Edward F. Nc
Grady, one of the founders of the Bos-
ton Labor College, and former presi-
dent of the Boston Central Labor
union; first, to equip themselves for a
larger share in the control of indus
try; second, to make possible the en-
ployment Of the entire wage-earning
element Of the population. AS an Ill
innate result of this material improve
ment it is labor's hope to make posi-
BILE corresponding intellectual and
moral betterment.
1.-THE view of the union man has
changed greatly in recent years" says
Mr.. McGrady, in an interview with a
Christian Science Monitor representa-
| tive. mot long ago his job meant to
| him only job and living wage. Now
1t means a great deal more than that.
1t means an opportunity to exercise
that will mean greater self-respect,
greater service to the community and
self-improvement.
"a great many persons wonder how
union men are going to use the addi-
tional time they gain when their hours
are cut, for example, from As to a
weekly. The answer has appeared in
our Labor College, conducted in this
city. The union man of today, par
ticularly the younger union man, is go
ing to spend those four additional
hours week in preparing himself for
the control of the industry in which
he is engaged.
"We know, now, that we are not
equipped to take over the nations in
dustries. We have not the training
or technical ability, because we have
never had the time and opportunity
to obtain them. Now, by reducing the
work week, we are going to get both
time and opportunity. and we are go
ing to make good use of both.
at is perfectly clear to everyone,
I think, who has the slightest knowl-
edge of economics and sociology, that
democratic control must come. and
that we are on the verge of it now.
The workingmen of the United States
are not satisfied with a mere status
as workingmen; they feel that they
are essential to industry and that they
should have q voice in the way II
is to be conducted. Moreover, popu-
lation is steadily increasing, and at
more rapid rate than industry. The
present method Of production has out
lived its usefulness; unless change
is made, it will be thoroughly made
quate for the future. That is why
our young men in the labor move
ment are studying business methods,
technics, and economics. They re-
alize that they must take a larger
share In the conduct of Industry If
the nation and the world are to be
properly served.
"The step taken by the railroad
men is the first toward gaining demo-
cratic control. The miners will come
next. Just such program is neces-
sary If industry is to meet the de-
mands that the increasing population
viii place upon 1T, for under business
management industry Will not grow
rapidly enough to take care of
the surplus labor power that will be
available through the natural increase
in population. With a greater popu-
iation to feed and clotAe, 1t is essen
tial that every advantage be taken. of
the earth's resources, and this will be
possible only II work is available for
every able-hodied man.
1.-THE reduction of the working
hours per week or per day will spread
out the work In such way that every
man may be employed.
Those are the aims of union labor
IL asking a shorter work-week-
give time for preparation for demo-
cratic control of industry and to make
work available for all available work |
ers.
.aThe necessity for democratic con-
troll is recognized even by the own
ers Of industry themselves. The con- |
sequence Is that 1t is not meeting
with anything like the resistance that
was encountered by those men who |
first preached democratic political |
control. Those men were thrown into
prison; today the task is easier" /