The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-19
PRESIDENT ASKS
STEEL MEN To CUT
HOUR WORkDAY
Puts Request Before Al Repre-
sentative Manufacturers
ONE OF INDUSTRIES NEEDS
Declares Government Is Not In
terfering, but Sentiment
Favors Change
ONE OF INDUSTRIES NEEDS

Washington May 19-Complete
abolition OF the II Iour working day
in the steel industry was discussed
at dinner conference at the White
House last night to which President
Harding had invited Al representa-
t.ves of the iron and steel industry,
and Secretaries Mellon, Hoover and
! Davis.
The guests were told there was no
intention Of government interference
in private business, but that the
| United States was about to witness
great industrial revival and that the
one hope of doing away with the ex.
cossyely long workday was to do 1t
before the full swing OF business
was resumed.
Harding said he had found senti.
ment favorable to the change, in
discussing the matter WITH individ-
uals among the leaders in the steel
industry, but aided that he found
a so the conviction that the abolition
If a 12hour work-day was imprac.
t.cable without substantially unani.
nous action on the part Of the EN-
ployng forces in the steel and iron
industry.
The purpose of the conference. the
steel makers were informed was to
afford full and free discussion of a
question which the President deemed
of first importance to industrial
America.
Almost to the hour Of the meeting
tie guests were without information
as to the subject TO be taken up
After an, informal meeting at a local
IhCtel, Judge Ebert H. Gary. chair
man Of the board OF the United
| States Steel corporation, went TO the
/ White House and was closeted with
President Harding. On leaving the
White House he would make no
comment
George b. Christian. secretary to
| the President. issued the following
statement from the White House Oh
the dinner
The President had dining with
him a company OF nearly so repre-.
sentatiyes OF the iron and steel in.
dustry and Secretary Mellon. Hoo
YER and Davis. announcement, OF
the purpose OF the dinner was given
to the guests in advance.
After dining the President stated
that he wished to know better the
men comprising his company OF
guests and to very informally dis
cuss with them the complete aboli.
tion OF the l2-hour working day in
the steel industry He explained
frankly that there was no intention
of government interference in pri-
yate business. but that we are about
to witness a great industrial revival
and the one hope OF aJolishing the
excessively long working day vas to
do it before the ~ swing Is re
sumed.
The President explained that ne
had discussed the matter with in
divdual heads and found much favor
able sentiment. but there is con.
v'ction that the abolition Is i'm.
practicable without substantially
UNANIMOUS action by all the employ
ling forces in the iron and steel In.
duStries. Hence the dinner and the
attending opportunity to discuss the
proposal amid free and frank ex
preston on question of such i'm
port TO industrial America"
The statement added that the din
ner was another development o
the Presidents belief that confer
! ence affords a way to accomplish
ment."
T. II. Wickwire, president OF
Wickwire Steel company OF Buffalo
y. Y, was among those present al
the dinner.