The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-05-26
HOURS OF WORK.

Gary, Chairman of the United States
Steel Corporation, made at a meet
ing of stockholders, April 18th, 1922,
there will be found some remarks
concerning the number of hours Civ
en- to labor in a work day. In the
statement the following occurs:
'Many of the highest officials of
our Corporation and subsidiary COM
panies work twelve hours day, and
some of them more than twelve hours.
They are not harmed by doing it;
they do it because they feel their re-
sponsibility and they want to do the
very best possible for the stock
holders of their respective companies.
And we believe the general public
is perfectly willing that the. officers
should work as many hours day as
they please.
"Mr. Mumford: I have worked
long hours myself, Judge. Thank you.
"Judge Gary: So have l."
It is undoubtedly true that certain
occupations demand a shorter days
work than others. 1t is equally true
that in some occupations a sound
man, mentally and physically, may
labor for twelve or more hours, with
out being harmed, and with profit.
The fact is that most men who sue
ceed in life, we suspect, labor much
more than eight hours each day.
They may not labor with their hands
for so long as that, but when their
hands are at rest, their minds are
busy. Perhaps when they are sup
posed to be enjoying few hours OF
recreation, the thinking apparatus is
at work on the task back in the office
or in the laboratory.
For those jobs where mans
health may become impaired from
too long hours, it is right that the
hours of labor should be limited
There is reason for regulation of the
hours of labor for women, just a.
there is reason for legislation agains
child labor. The race must be propa
gated and properly reared. The hu
man race must multiply and replen
ish the earth. But there has neve,
been any just reason why man IL
the ordinary pursuits Of life shoule
not work as long as he desires II HI
is paid in proportion to his labor.
The truth is that we had goot
times in this country, better time
and better people, when the famille
were large and when thought wa
given to the rearing of healthy ant
industrious children rather than t.
the playing of golf, civic improve
ment and the morning, afternoon ant
evening clubs. But men who worl
with their hands cannot rear larg
families on eight hours of labor ant
rear them Alright.
Most of the demand for shorte
hours is a means of putting NOR
men at work on given job, but with
out a corresponding reduction il
wages for those who formerly worke'
longer.
We believe the times will be NOR
healthy, and the men too, when maj
is allowed to do as much work as h
wants to, and when he shall be allow
ed in industry, as he is in law, med
icine, or in the stores, to make a.
the money he can le@timately. w
are not sure that a good many me-
are better while resting than the
are when they are at work.
At any rate we do not expect t
see any capitalists come from tn
people who are always talking abou
the number of hours in the day the
are to work, nor from those VIII
watch the clock.
A man may work ordinarily, twelv
hours a day and still have plenty o
time left in which to pray.
A DISTINCTION.