Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1922-05-19
STEEL MANUF FACTURERS'
ACCEPT SUGGESTION TO.
ABOLISH z HOUR DAY.
President Harding Calls II Representative
Leaders Of Steel Industry To White House
Dinner Where Suggestion For Complete
Abolition OF IL Hour Day Is Presented


WASHINGTON May Is - Steel
manufacturers in conference at the
White House tonight with President
Harding approved in principle the
presidents suggestion for the abol1-
tion of the 12-hour work day. The
IL representative leaders of the IN
dustry who were present unanimously
adopted a resolution authorizing the
president of the American Steel and
Iron Institute 10 name a committee or
five men from the steel industry TO
raake a scientific, and careful invest.-
CATION of the matter and to report
their conclusions to the industry.
Judge Ebert II. Gary. chairman CT
the board of the United States COR
poration and president of the lnsti-
tate will mama the committee.
"The president stated" Judge Gary
said. that he did not desire to inter-
fere with the natural and legitimate
progress of business nor to Go any
thing except to assist industry to
meet if possible what is apparently
strong public sentiment. He gave
opportunity TO all present to express
their views of the subject, under in
uuiry and advantage was taken of the
invitation. After full and frank dls-
cussion at which all present favored
abolishing the 12-hour work day.
when if practicable. Judge Gary con-
tinued:
"A resolution was adopted in which
it was unanimously resolved that
committee of five from the steel IN
dustry be appointed by the president
of the American Steel and Iron In
stitute to make a scientific invest1ga-
ton and to report to the steel IN
dustry their findings.
1.-The meeting was harmonious, and
it is hoped much good may result"
Judge Gary indicated that the MEM
bers of the committee would be Sc
lected shortly.
The guests were told that there was
no intention of government inter
ference in private business but that
the United States was about to Wit
ness great industrial revival and that
the one hope of doing away with the
excessively long work day was to do
it before the full swing of business
was resumed.
Mr.. Harding said he had found sem
timent favorable TO the change. IN
discussing the matter with individ-
uals among the leaders of the steel
industry, but that he found also the
conviction that the abolition of L.
hour working day was impracticable
without substantial unanimous action
on the part of the employing forces
in the steel industry.
The purpose Of the conference, the
steel makers were Informed, was to
afford full and free discussion of
question which the president deemed
of first Importance to Industrial
America.
George B. Christian. secretary to
the president issued the following
statement from the White House on
the dinner:
"The president had dining a COM
pany of nearly so representatives of
the iron and steel industry and Secre-
iaries Mellon. Hoover and Davis. An
announcement OF the purpose OF the
dinner was given to the guests IN ad-
vance.
After dining. the president stated
that he wished to know better the
men comprising his company of guests
and to informally discuss with them
the complete abolition of the 12-hour
working day in the steel industry. He
explained frankly that there was no
intention of government interference
in private business but that we are
ABOUT TO witness a great industrial
revival and the one hope of abolishing
the excessively long working hours
was te do it before the full swing is
resumed.
He explained that he had discussed
the matter with individual heads and
found much favorable sentiment. but
there is q conviction that the aboll-
ton is impracticable without sub
stantlaly unanimous action by all
the employing forces in the iron and
steel industries. Hence the diners
took the opportunity to discuss the
proposal amid free and frank ex-
preston OF a question Of such i'm
portance to Indutrial America.