New-York tribune., 1922-04-27
44-Hr. Week Is
Called Unjust
By Publishers
Labor Must Yield Greater
Returns, in Accord With
Post War Econom ic
Trend. Association Insists
Parallel in Arms Parlcy
Reduction in Advertising
and Subscription Rates
Uuwisc, Meeting Is Told

In opening the annual convention Of
the American Newspaper Publishers
Associa ton at the Waldorf Astoria yes
terday 7. r. Williams, Of "'rhc Pitts
burgh Press president declared tho
opposition of The association to efforts
to Introduce tho forty-four- hour week
in newspaper shops aud to any rcduc~
lions in advertising rates or suhscrlp-
tiou rates at present. He called on
members to eliminate waste and to sup
port the apprenticeship school move
mcnt in order to prevent shortage os
skilled labor IN newspaper plants.
Mr.. Williams directed attention to
tho achievements Of President Harding,
himself publisher. and urged mem
bcrs OF the association to follow the
example Of their illustrious fellow
craftsman, and as he had led in the
scrarping Of engines Of war TO pro-
moto international cooperation to
scrap the icalousies and animositcs
that might prevent the assoc iation from
obtaining best results.
Lower Production Cost Essential
"Undoubtcdly one ot our chief needs
is further lowering Of the cost Of
production and the elimination of will
ful waste said Mr Williams. "The
former lies chiefly beyond the immedl-
ate control of the publisher; the latter
is entirely beneath his own roof,
"As a further allcviation of the high
production costs many insist that the
chief end is a reduction In the wages
Of skilled workmen. While it is con-
coded that some reduction is in order
from the very topnotch prices still
seem certain to como in the course Of
time, Yet there is another, and, ! think,
bcttcr light in which to consider this
probem; namely, securing greater and
more efficient returns from labor.
Publishers arc generally not averse to
giving labor high wage, in keeping
with the experience and skill required
by tho business. but in return they
have 3 right to insst on days work
in constructive labor, producing some
thing Of real value TO the employer.
During the period Of the business
readju5tment We have been passing
through the publisher has been forced
TO look out for the elimination Of waste.
the increasing or eftlclency, ana tho
lowering Of costs on every hand, Il 1t
not good thing for the newspaper
printing trades union to do likevise'
IN this day Of industrial economy, when
lowering The cost OF producing the
necessities of life means so much TO
tho welfare Of mankind, does II not
seem strange that. trades unions should
havc in their code Of laws regule tions
designed exclusively for tho purpose
Of creating iobs, and not producing
usablo production for the employers
Skilled Workers IN Demand
Mr., Williams declared that willis at
one 1imo lob rules" might have been
valuable IN preventing unemployment.
there was no need for them now, since
in all large cities there is at present
shortage of printers, pres1men, and
storotypcr8.
n view Of the conditions cited. Mr..
Williams continued, there is no justi-
tlcatlon for the 44-week in NEWSPAPER
offices, and the full force of the a5so
citation will continue against It. Pub
fishers. in order to protect their own
interests, It was pointed out, should see