The daily morning oasis. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1917-1920, 1920-08-08
EDITORIALS;
A FOUR HOUR WORKING DAY

Mr.. Thomas H. Gordiner writes "The Oasis"
from Los Angeles communication commenting GER
tain recent articles in this newspaper and presents
reflections to which they have led his mind that are
so interesting that the communication is reproduced
as follows:
'Your editorial" Propaganda by Screen" in
your issue Of July 49, 1920 mentions that "some folks
say that the is mghtier than the newspaper"
to which assertion agree. remarkable corrobora-
ton has been the influence of the screen in bringing
about Prohibition of Liquor Traffic. against which
both Press and Pulpit had nveghed for more than
half century, with but sporadic results. The screen
presented frequently scenes so true to life of the evils
of the liquor traffic that it soon became so abhor
rent to everybody that there was aroused within ten
years public sentiment that is sweeping the traffic
out from existence.
''Your article on Christian Rivalry in TIE SAM,
issue, is good one The differences between all
church denominations are small, being chiefly mat
ters of church government internal organization and
external methods of operation that really signify
very little, being but matters of preference Creeds
and doctrines very much alike it is their methods
OF application wherein lie differences. But all
churches serve to distract attention of the people
(some people, mean), from earthly graft and prof
iteering that make for poverty overwork and great
human suffering, and thus I'll Churches are trust de-
Tending influences and hindrarces to progress. T
think.
"A part of an editorial from another newspaper
quoted by you, under the head Blaming Profteer-
ing asserts that profteerng must be stopped before
1t can be hoped to stimulate production and eliminate
want and extravaganza Production needs no
stimulation; for there is big overproduction right
now And waste and extravaganza account for one
half of consumption. Elimination of waste and ex-
travagance would spell the four hour working dav
Tor all employees in their employment. In the last
thirty fears tna s. rsfcat off, nae issued nearly
one million patents for labor saving inventions of all
Kinds, performing automatically all sorts of opera
lions that were done formerly by hand or extend
ing so the dexterity and capacity of TIE Individual
worker that there be produced in four hours
labor IS much of any given commodity as could be
produced in ten hours thirty years ago. In fact it is
impossible to make full use of all labor saving ma
chinery invented and put into successful operation
within the past thirty years without overproduction
or unemployment, or both-unless the work dav is
cut down to four hours. pie is cut into four
pieces and there eight persons to eat it. four of
them will have pie. Then if the worker can do in
four hours what was Done forr.erly in ten hours,
and ne works eight hours, someone has to go with
out work That conclusion is the foundation of the
present day demand of four hour working day.
That would put stop to overproduction, and in
cidentaly to much extravaganza deplorable and de-
plored. So boost for the four-hour working day."
In a measure there is no little force in Mr.
Gordiner's observations but there are many factors
IN the problem of production and distribution be-
side those instanced by the gentleman. That prob
lem was stated very clearly uptn the floor of the
House of Representatives at Washington, by Con-
gresham Ben Butler of Massachusetts,. when the
very problem of overproduction (they mad it then,
as now was under discussion General Butler de-
clared that there such condition or situation
as over production" He declared that the diff
ficulty under consumption" That is if all peo-
pie were situated so they could consume more of the