The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-07-12
NEED $4,000 TO
END 12-HOUR DAY
Judge Gary Can't Say Exactly
When, but Companies Will Be-
gin to Act Very Soon.
EFFORTS TO BE DILIGENT
Workers From South, Mexico, Philip
pines and Canada Helped Labor
situation-shorter Day to Add
10 per Cent to Cost Of steel.

10 per Cent to Cost Of steel.
New York. ~ can't say exactly
when the United States Steel Corpora
ton or any other company will get rid
of the twelve-hour day entirely, but !
can positively state that they will be-
gin to act in that direction very soon
and be very diligent in their Efforts
This statement was made by Efbert
H. Gary, chairman of directors OF the
United States Steel Corporation and
recognized spokesman Of the steel IN
dustry of the country. He was ampli-
flying the letter Of the directors OF the
American Iron and Steel Institute to
President Harding promising to abol-
ish the twelve-hour day when there
is a surplus of labor available"
Mr.. Gary estimated the additional
number of men needed in the industry
to make the eight-hour day possible at
10000. Men. however, coming from
the South, from Mexico, the Philip
pines, Canada and other countries
have made some showing, and, Mr..
Gary said, increases are expected.
Mr.. Gary, in his interview, outlined
the policy of the steel producer IN
regard to the elimination OF the
twelye-hour day. For several years.
he said, 'the steel industry has recog-
nized the growing public sentiment"
Since President Harding called the
steel leaders of the country to the
White House fourteen months ago., ne
added, practically all of he manufac-
turers of iron and steel in this country
have positively agreed to the entire
abolition of the twelve-hour day so
soon as there is sufficient labor to per-
NIT It." This he regarded as "a
derful achievement"
After telling Of the prompt response
by the steel men to President Har-
ding's letter of June is, Mr.. Gary re-
viewed the twelve-hour situation. He
said: Z
The twelye-hour day in the steel
industry was referred to at the stock
holders meeting of the Steel Corpora
ton in April, 1914, by Mr.. Smith, one
of the workmen connected with the
American Sheet and Tin Plate Com
pany at one Of the mills in Ohio, who,
with others, made remarks which
were taken down by the stenographer
and written up and printed.
In those remarks Mr.. Smith said:
tThere is just one thing more about
the twelve-hour day that perhaps the
should know and the stock
holders, too. 1t may be wise and we
appreciate the great effort that the
corporation has made to reduce the
%twelve-hour day to ten, or whatever
1t sees fit, and we feel the effects or
their effort. They have done it to a
great extent. But | notice when the
criticism that the corporation
or employer gets all the criticism. /
have had experience to the contrary.
The facts are that the employer neve
established the twelye-hour day. /
helped to establish it and every work
ingman who helped to build up the
iron business helped to establish 1t,
and the refusal In many cases to grant
the twelve-hour day would have been
a sufficient cause for a walkout many
a time"
The twelve-hour day was started by
the men long before the United
States Steel Corporation was organ
lied, continued Mr.. Gary. l do not
believe the twelve-hour day in the
steel industry could have heretofore
been entirely abolished by consent IF
all, or substantially all, of the en-
ployers in that industry. Certain it
is that several and perhaps many of
the employers, from the time of the
Presidents dinner in May, 1922, s~~s
been using every reasonable effort to.
eliminate the twelve-hour day. And
now that withinsfourteen months prac-
tically all of the manufacturers of iron
and steel in this country have posi-
lively agreed to the entire abolition
of the t~welve-hour day so soon as
there is sufficient labor to permit it, |
think, we may say, is a wonderful
achievement.