Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-21
Advocates Lonaer Working Hours

70 the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
sir-I read an editorial in Thursdays Is
sue entitled why Building Lass' and
bulletin issued by tho Federal Reserve Bank
10 cited. which goes into eianorate oe.aaIs
as 10 the cost OF a sixteen-foot front. two-
story, six-room and bath house in 1914 ano
the enormous increased cost OF same at
present, all of which had been known
barring the exact figures-by every intelli-
gsnt schoolboy nearly two years ago
But as to why this outrageous increased
cost and a remedy, these wise bankers ev,-
IDENTIFY either don't know or they ma IL
good policy not 20 mention It. There 10 not
q sane person IN this city who doesn't kno"
ali about this increased cost, but either
Aoesn't know or will not admit the real origi-
nal cause or the one and only remedy
Even tho wise editor of that article winds
up by saying there could be no reilet until
prices fall to somewhere near tho level OF
1914 But what the general public doesn'
know or won't admit is how this Harding s
back to norInalcy" policy is to be accom-
plished.
AS a former workingman. machinist ana
engineer for forty-fve years after the Clvil
War asTa journeyman foreman and Tor
twelve years superintendent OF an iron works
employing hundreds OF men, who never IN
any capacity worked less than sixty houFs
per week, either physically or mentally
would say that the original cause OF IN
crea sed cost along all lines, Including build
ings swns when the various unions insisted
on eight hours for Ave days and four hours
for one day, but at the same sixty hours per
week pay. This OF course, promptly reduced
production more than 25 per cent and In
creased the cost of the commodities produced
arother 25 FER cent by reason OF getting paid
for sixteen hours per week OF idleness' or
about 500 hours per year. This was the
starter OF increase Then the war, creating
a demand for help, increased the price oI
said help, which in turn again increased the
cost OF the products produced. and 80 on
continued until we have reached, as Mr'
pooley would say, the present high price
OF 10000 for $4,000 house. and the END
seems to be nowhere In sight.
have twelve four and six room houses
on which the repairs cost more than l5O per
ocnt. and In several cases over 200 per
cent. over 1914. TO say nothing OF Increased
assessments and taxes. all OF which i air
compelled to add to the rent to save me from
loss.
Now then the remedy: As 1t is an incon
troyertible fact that the original Increase II
oost was due TO decreased production. with
the same sixty-hour pay. 30 the decrease II
cost can only be brought about by reversing
things-namely, by increasing production Il
sixty hours per week. with the present forty
four-hour pay.
n is Idle to talk that labor wage canno
or should not be reduced until the cost o
living IL reduced. because labor constitute
about so per cent OF the entire cost OF an
commodity or food. hence in order TO kee
fair wages simply 20 to work sixteen hour
per week more instead OF loahng around tn
corners or the movies--which. by the way
ia about the only prosperous business to
day.
The tenant may be short in paying hi
rnt, but Is never short OF cash for tn
movie. II Is only through labor that we ca
create wealth or even exist In this latitude
The less we labor in fields and gardens tn
nearer wo come to starvation. The YER
clay under our feet is virtually WORTHLESS
uptiI labor is applied TO form II into bricks
90 with rocks for lime and foundations. ais
from ore. etc. Even gold Is yalueless unit
isbor Is applied hence labor Is the prncipa
cost OF any product. and the less labor W
perform tho scarcer will be that which W
produce.
Many Of these poor overworked souls ar
even advoca tins. thirty hours per week. an