Evening star., 1922-04-07
Mr.. Ford's Forty.Hour Week.


1T Is unfortunate that Ford cannot
employ all the workingmen in Amer
ica," so the Quincy Ull.) Whis-Jour-
nal declares apropos Of the inaugura-
tion Of the five-day week in the Ford
factories. But to many other editors
the gain to the workingman in Ford's
employ is doubtful, since the reduc-
tion in hours Is regarded as a reduc-
ton in earnings as we'll.
The institution Of a forty-hour week
in a great industrial enterprise is sig
|nificant, however. in the opinion OF the
press, because It comes at a time
when. as the Springfield Union points
out, efforts of labor have been en-
a return to the fifty-four-hour week
in certain lines Of production, and'
the Quincy paper comments further.
lit will not rouse much enthusiasm
among employers who have iougnt
shy Of a forty-four-hour week and
promised soiemnly among themselves
to see that It never came about.
THE remarkable thing about It," In
view of the Newark News, SIS that IT
has not come from labor agitation. but
from heaven by industrial manage
ment in the person Of the Fords."
ION the face Of It," the innovation
has 1 universal appeal" the Kalama-
zoo Gazette thinks. for those OF US
who are fortunate enough to be e
steady lob are convinced that the
business Of making q living occupies
far too much of our time" The New
York Herald agrees that from the
standpoint Of bringing WORK aown 70
the irreducible minimum" the Ford
scheme is Joyous news" but, as the
Bridgeport Post argues. II a forty.
hour-week ais such a glorious thing.
then twenty y-hour-week Is twice as
good. ten-hour is four times as sooa
The Oklahoma City Oklahoman is
not concerned over the effect of the
example set by Mr.. Ford" for his
plants "can shut down an extra day
each week without inconvsniencing
the public greatly. II at all. while
Ford business is such that 1t is able
to do things which would result In the
bankruptcy If other concerns TO
argue from an isolated and unusual
sible in all Industries is to argue that
all Industries operate under conditions
similar to those in the isolated cases.
and since the facts are otherwise the
Indianapolis News does not look for
any further adoption OF the Fora
If increased efficiency were the i'm
pelling motive, the Grand Rapids
Press would regard the change as
cause for serious comment, but, II
contends the scheme ;. contempiates o. 1,a aIaiH
rearrangemeut by which Ford EN-.
ployes make $50 a week in place Of
$36, Mr. Ford loses nothing, provides
for 5000 more men and Is the gamer
by the publicity" In short, az the
duction Of the high wage system hith-
In view Of this condition. the Nash.
Vile Tennessean suggests that II
Mr.. Ford's employees accept the new
other Indication that the Detroit man.
ufacturer has progressed further than
any Of his competitors In cementing
friendship between employer and en-
ploye." The New York Evening World
is confident that the men sro wiai al LIKE IKE
gle rather different from that taken
by other writers, the World points
out that while the new scheme drops
a day from the weeks work, the forty
hours work "is guaranteed. and
three or four days a week." the new
plan, after all, amounts to an increase
- Ford's --latest idea" is regarded as
q trouble.breeder py tne dart1oIo
Times. II It could be confined to the
oliver factory" perhaps the trouble
"would not be great. but the matter
will not rest there" Eventually, the
Times thinks, cit will be necessary to
nav the men a. much money for dve
days work as they now get Tor six
or they will go elsewhere and work
six days" and IAN agreement OF this
kind Is sure to increase the cost of
living IL it should be adopted geuer-
ally," and furthermore, such q policy
in effect anywhere will increase dis
content among workers in other
TO this position, however. the Sioux
City Tribune replies that compare.
lively young men can remember"
when the eight-hour movement was
denounced as subversive Of civiliza-
tion ITSELF" but. 1t remarks. "the
eight-hour day, however. obtains
quite generally today"
whether this is broad humanita-
rianism or carefully worked out
economics" the st. Paul Dispatch
leaves to time to develop. but In the
meantime, as the Ann Arbor Times
News says, Henry Ford has again
given the labor experts and the
Economic sharps something to think
about"