New-York tribune., 1919-09-17
Most of Them Being Won,
and Canvass of Industries
Affected Shows Decreased
Production Is Resulting
Workers Less Efficient
Banker Asserts War Made
Toilers Independent and
Indifferent to Their Jobs
By Stanley Frost

continuing but iAClS dDOul tnC iUDOI
crisis. 81 per cent of all strikes now
going on involve reduction of hours,
and most Of them are being won. The
proportion has increased steadily since
the signing of the armistice.
About 40 per cent Of the firms re-
emily canvassed by. the National In
dustrial Conference Board in survey
of the relation of hours to production
in five industries, had shortened hours.
This proportion is greatly reduced be-
cause in one, the metal trades. the
eighthour day became practically uni
versal some years ago In the other
industries the average that have re-
duced hours is about 70 per cent.
This survey also shows that in
three-q quarters of the establishments
there has been a material decrease in
production following the reduction
of hours, in a fifth of them the pro-
duction has been maintained. and in
only per cent has it increased.
The period is practically for the last
eighteen months.
1t is the almost unanimous testi-
mony Of labor commissioners and
bankers canvassed by The Tribune,
that along with t,s there has been
q decrease of from 10 to 4 per cent
in the individual efficiency of the
workers. This is supported by the
reports of the Federal Reserve Board
Working Hours Have
Eeen Cause of Unrest
The figures on the proportion of
strikes involving wages are taken from
the confidential reports of great
business information agency. It does
not attempt to report on all strikes
lut has given more or less informa-
ton about 1,778 OF them since October l
o.. last year OF these 400 (25 per
oentl have included, if they have not
made their chief point. demands for
reduction in working time 22 per
cent But the reports also show a
steady increase in the extent 70 which
hours have figured in the crisis. For
the period since April of this year
% per cent of the strikes involved
hours, and since July l, 81 per cent.
check of these figures is given
by the survey made by the National
Industrial Conference Board of the
eject of the reduction of hours in the
metal, boot and shoe, wool silk and
cotton industries. In all this survey
canvassed lG71 firms (the number
canvassed in the boot and shoe trade
is not given. and Of these 664, or 40
pcr cent. nd recently reduced hours.
For the me- trades, with l.252 firms
the reduct.o. were lowest "a per
cent. For the boot and shoe industry
they were SO per cent, for cotton
manufacturing 81 per cent, for wool
6s per cent and FOR silk IS per cont.
There is also noticeable an incceas-
ing demand for hours less than 4s a
week. According to the commercial
reports cited above there were few Of
this kind during the early part Of the
LAY, but .u tAe period sine July ]
81 Of those on which thosc data are
gven demandcd hours lss thaa IS 4
week, chile - were for iS hoGrs OF
more. The latest teaor, shows 90 de
n.anda tor less than is hours. and IL
for 4S or more
This is in line with the policy OF
labor as laid down by the American
Federation Of Labor last June. Both
the Chicago and the New York labor
parties declared in their platforms for
hour week. while the Nov York
platform adds the demand that = case
Of uncmplovn nt these hours shall be
further reduced 80 the point wher,
there is work for everybody.