Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-10-28
ROCKEFELLER JR. IN
FAVOR OF AN EIGHT
HOUR DAY FOR MEN
ARGUES AGAINST LONGER WORK
ING PERIOD, CLAIMING IL HOUR
DAY AND zpAY WEEK is NOT.
ECONOMIC NOR UNSUITABLE

New York, oct. ga statement
nroclaiming his personal stand Tor the
siehthur day in industry ana con
demning the twelye.hour day aud me
seyen.day week as unnecessary UNI
economic and unjustiilabIe was
issued today by John d. Rockeiehei'
lr.
The statement appears in an artl'
cle signed by Mr.. Rockefeller IN the
onrrent issue OF the Survey Graphlc
and follows arraignment OF workilE
conditions in certain oil helds o.
wyoming in the same magazine by H.
s. I.und, who spent three months III
yestigating conditions. .,...
II The statement is the second "ilIlh
n week Mr.. Rockefeller has gwen
!, ont ia behalf OF the labornig men
The previous one, issued WEDNESDAY, ,
took MP the cudgel in the interest OF
coal miners on the Somerset county
pennsylyania, and particularly those
employed by the Consolidation 'odi
holder.
81 believe that. generally speaking
the tWelve.hour day and the seven
dav week should no longer be toIef
ated in industry, either from the view
point of public policy or OF lhdus'rlal
, efficiency" the oil magnate says III ms
most recent statement beheNe
bofli have been proven to be uhneces'
--ssrS ,lneeonomic and unJustlhaDle.
Even in those industries where the
sd.called continuous process is an
inevitable feature, Mr.. Rockefeller
savs he believes the routine should be
so adjusted that employees can nave
at least one days rest IN seven ana
can obtain that share of leisure lor
acknowledgment which accompanies
the work day of approximately eight
hours.
"cWhile adoption of these stand
ards may and doubtless will at first
entail increased costs of production,
I am confident that in the long run
greater efficiency and economy will
result. and that from the outset pub
lie opinion will support any industry
which installs them" he continues.
With regard to living conditions,
even in isolated localities like oil
camps. Mr.. Rockefeller asserts it is
not only possible but necessary to
make reasonable provisions for health,
comfort and contentment Of those who
labor there in behalf of the entire
community.
81 have never believed these things
should be provided. for workngmen
and women either as result OF
chance generosity or deliberate pater-
nalism," the statement continues
"Quite aside from the fact that, in my
Judgment, they represent the soundest
economic policy, they are due to the
employe as a matter OF common jus.
tice, required by the basic fact that
man is human being first and mem
Der of industry afterWard t
ITO my mnid, where the right course
is clear. difficulties in its way do not
excuse inaction. So far as concerns
my own responsibility as stock
holder, for better industrial conditions
and relations, have made special pro
vision for assistance in inst such
tasks as these, which are always close
to my heart
The article of Mr. Lund Is a study
to conditions in the Elk Basin, crude
oil producing field of Wyoming, where
according to the author, zone man in
three work twelve hours day and
seven days a week, and all other class
es of labor, including Office personnel,
work a nine-hour day six and a half
days a week"