Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-02

esas Of the enploysrs and the en-
ployes. He said that the welfare OF
the employees is the chief considera-
tion 0f his company and IL there Is any
behedt from tho standpoint OF we'll be-
ing to his esnployeD 1rcm the measure
he would not oppose It. Mr.. Dana said
that tests have shown that . 55-hour
week Is the prppsr working time ana
called attention to the nAet that the
laws of tho United States. which are
operative in Maine as elsewhere, pro-
hfbtt. the working Of children longer
than As hours. so the question reverts
the present conditions. said the speak
er. the cotton mills OF Maine are not
able 70 compete With the mills OF the
South where they have IS and so-hour
weeks and lower wage scale. The
AS-hour week is not best for Maine at
the present time OF reconstruction"
said Mr.. Dana, and In view or the
recent failure Of government agencies
in business, one Is forced to agree with
Prtsident-elect Harding in the state
ment that there b too much governx.
ment In business and not enough bust
ness in government"
r. r. Hazxard OF the r. p. Hazard
Shoe Co. of Gardiner opposed the bili
in the Interests Of the shoe manufae-
turers. The rights Of labor and Of
the public ere pasamoant to those Of
the manufactures I'm all questions"
said Mr.. Hasasrd. Il want this COM
mittee to feel that believe that sin
cerely and IL the members believe that
labor and the public ara best served
by this bill that II the way In which
would have them report it,
Mr.. Hazard said he felt that he
represented labor as much as the
paid secretaries of the various or.
CARNATIONS did at the hearing. for
he had vital interest In his en-
ployes and their welfare. He pre-
scented a petition against the passage
OF the measure signed by l5S women
employees of his factory. i.
I beijeve that the hands of the
men employees are behind this meas
IRE, knowing full well that 1t means
equal time for them il it goes
through, and would have much
more respect for them IL they would
come ont in the open and not try to
hide behind the skirts Of the wom-
EN-"
IF you pass 4s-hour law on me
there will be a lot of labor loafing
In Gardiner declared Mr.. Hazard
with considerable emphasis.
We paid sl,0o0.o0o in Gardiner in
one year and not enough of our shoes
were sold in the State OF Maine to
run the factory 30 minutes" con-
tinued Mr.. Hazard. 1T In q great
deal easier for Industries to move
from Maine than it Is for labor to
move. II YOU pass a 4S-hOur law
you affect the labor OF all operatives
as many of them do pieceworlk."
Herbert Gray of Old Town, a wool
en- manufacturer. opposed the bill.
saying that industries will not come
to Maine If the hours OF labor are
reduced.
AS Mr.. Gray concluded, Joseph r.
Gould asked him IL he had ever had
any experience with the 4S-hour
labor.
'oh, yes. forgot that" said Mr..
Gray In June 1918, the Guilford
Wooden Co. and some other of the
Maine mills went onto q 4S-hour
week. 1t was not satisfactory and
at the request of their employees they
returned in December of that year to
the 54-hour law. think that it is
to the advantage of the employees $
well as the employers not to upset
things in the industrial world for the
next few years here in Maine"
Mr.. McCarty questioned Mr. Gray
concerning the operations Of the
American WOODEN Co. in this State
and as to whether it was a success
full organization and was told that it
had that reputation. but, added the
Old Town man. its stock has tum-
bled from 10 to about so!
Rep. Cordwell OF Westbrook said
that he was not speaking for the s.
d. Warren Paper Co, although one
of their employees. In the s. D. War
rem plant there were between 200 and
800 women workers. They labored
So hours a week and would rather
work that at present pay than 40 at
reduced wages.
Henry Descatous, OF Biddeford said
that despite the talk Of the workers
not wanting a change that Is coun-
ties voted for the 54-hour law in
1916.
C. +. Ames, superintendent Of the
Western Union Telegraph company
told the committee that the enaction
of this measure without q reserva-
ton, would result in a cut in their
service in the one man or one woman
Offices. in Maine.
William 8. Ldnncil appeared in be-
half OF the York Manufacturers Co.
OF Saco. He said that this was not
the time to make change of this
kind. 1t was a time when Maine
should be looking to protect the
small industry and the small indus
trial city and town. He was fearful
of the outcome should this bill be-
come a law.
L