Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-11-06
Declares, at International Gath
ering, for Straight 8-HOur
Day as a Maximum-ShOrter
Day Later, Perhaps
HIS MOTION DEFEATED
Asks TO Have Entire Subject of Hours
of Work Referred to n Commission
hut This Proposition Is Lost 30 to
II When II Comes to Vote

Washington, Nov. 5.-Making his first
address before the international labor
conference. in which he sits as an un-
official representative Of American labor.
Samuel Gompers president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, declared to-day
for the straight eight hour day a
maximum as compared with the forty
eight hour week and incidenta ly served
notice that in the United States even the
eight hour day would be shortened Il
abor could accomplish it's purpose.
Mr.. Gompers spoke in reply to n ma
jority report on the part Of employer
delegates favoring the pr;ncip pies of re-
ducing hours but stating that it could not
be put in force generally at this time
owing to the need for increased produc-
ton as result of the war.
The report submitted by Il. S. Majori-
banks of Great Britain. pointed out the
need for special effort ito make good
the shortage of food supplies the recon-
struction of devastated areas and the re-
placement of machinery" aud declared
that the progressive increase in the cost
of living would lead to disaster unless
the needs of the present situation were
considered in conjunction with the aims
of the .abor representatives.
Stoutly denying that output could
be in increased over n considerable
period of time by lengthenng hours.
Mr.. Gompers characterized the Amer
lean workman the most productive
worker in the world and said indus
trial history proves the eight hour
day to be more productive than ten
or twelve hour day.
Late in the conference session. Mr..
Gompers again took the floor to move
that the entire subject Of hours of
work be referred to commission. A
motion offered yesterday by George
y. Barnes member of the British war
ministry and government delegate
and numerous amendments proposed
to-day had been the subject of discus
sion throughout the session.
The American Labor leaders motion
was lost by a vote of 80 to Al with a
majority of the labor delegates voting
No" Mr.. Gompers raised his hand la
counted by the secretary because of
his unofficial status. ------ts So
Mr.. Barnes motion provided that the
draft convention on the forty-eight hour
week prepared by the organizing COM
mittee be made the basis for discussion
but this was opposed by lanor delegates
on the ground that 1t excluded the eight
hour day from consideration. A substitute
resolution providing that the convention
relating to the eight hour day and the
forty-eight hour week was a maximum
be accepted as a basis for discussion.
offered by Leon Jouhaux. French labor
representative, also was defeated. Then
the original motion with an amendment
by Arthur Fontaine of France striking
out the Objectionable words "Forty-eight
hour week" followed the fate of the other
proposals. The conference, with it's slate
clean. then adjourned until tomorrow.
In opening the debate to-day, Mr..
Maioribanks said that realization of
shorter working hours was subject to the
following conditions:
Guarantee that all industries shall work
to their normal fullest capacity.
Unanimous agreement to maintain and
I increase output.
Adoption Of provisional measures which
would enable speedy production and nor
NAL distribution in those industries. the
up-keep of which Is indispensable TO the
| economic life of nations of the world.
Postponement Of the enforcement OF
the principle for five years in cases where
it would hinder the restoration of the
devastated areas OF Europe.
j. a. f.. Nerkade of Holland and E.
Baroni of Italy, both employer dele
gates. announced that they dissented
from the majority report, while Dietrich
| SCHNEIDER, Swiss employer. gave notice
of his adherence.