New-York tribune., 1922-12-24

| Hour smut IN AmetiSa" '"'
pared By the committee on work peri
eds In continuous industry Of the
Federated American Engineering So
eietles, not only mark a big step for.
ward in the emancipation OF labor but
/ they directly affect more than l'OOO'-
600 OF our fellow Americans, men,
women and children. Better relations
between capital and labor, more con.
tented homes and more Intelligent and
more willing workers may be reason
ably expected when the full influence
of the engineering committees work,
supported by the Cabot Fund Of Bos-
begins 10 be felt.
In this study the engineer was az
home, for industry is more and more
coming 10 attract his talents. Indeed,
the American Society Of Mechanical
Engineers. Of which I am a past Dresi-
dent, has come 10 be known as the
Society OF the Industries" In the In
vestigation of the two-shift day every
branch Of the engineering profession
was represented by the thirty or more
national and local organizations com
posing the Federated American Engi-
neering Societies, which was organ
ized about two years ago under the
headship Of Herbert Hoover. The two
shift day report, which will be issued
In complete form. was presented 20 the
executive board Of the American In
gineerinR Council, the executive organ
Of the federation, In Boston recently
In two sections. The first section Is
devoted % a survey Of more than forty
continuous industries and was pre-
pared by Horace b. Duy, Of Washing.
ton, a former member OF the faculty
Of Ohio State University. The second
section concerns the nations steel and
iron industry and was prepared By
Bradley Stoughton, Of New York. for
merly associate as adjunct professor
Of metallurgy in Columbia University
Of Henry N. Howe, one Of the worlds
great figures In this progressive sell
enee.
The facts are so complete and 40
striking that when they were pre-
! sented TO the American Engineering
Council they could not be seriously
challenged. The inquiry dates from
1920, when members Of the engineering
profession began an organized study
OF the twelye-hour shift, or "long day.b
The spirit Of the investigation reflected
the firm faith Of the engineers In facts.
and the method adopted was that Of
fact fnding-and faet-uslng. Such
study Is within the purview Of engi-
neering activities, for engineering in
eludes "the art Of organizing and al.
reeting human activities" in connection
with tho forces and materials Of
nature
Much valuable economic data were
revealed BY the investigators. For ex-
ample, Mr.. Drury and Mr.. Stoughton.
who also Is chairman Of the iron and
steel committee Of the American Iast.
t9te OF Mining and Aetsllurgical En.
glneers, aseertained that more than
iorty continuous industries were oper-
hung more or less completely upon
shift system. Ihese industries employ
between 100000 and 900 600 wage.
earners on shift work. Their families
constitute from 100000 10 1000 600
persons who are dependent upon earn
ings from shift work There are 9OO.-
900 wAge-earners working on twelve
hour shifts. They and their families
number more than 100000 persons.
The Investigators noted carefully
the results obtained by concerns which
abandoned the twelve-hour day for the
eight-hour day. These results, accord
ing TO exhaustive evidence, are good
When given more leisure, the average
American workingman does not abuse
u, Neither does the leisure permitted
BY the eight-hour day make him A
shirker or tend 70 develop laziness. On
the contrary, the effect Of the eight
hour shift, as compared With the
twelve-hour shift operation on the
quantity and quality Of production. nb-
sentetism and industrial accidents. has
been satisfactory where good manage
ment and cooperation OF labor have
been secured. In practically every
major continuous industry there are
plants which have increased the quan-
tity Of production per man as much as
70 per cent. In few exceptional cases
the increase has been much higher.
Evidence shows also an improvement in
quality Of production following the ne.
duetion In the length Of shifts.
Object of Inquiry