Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-04
Favors AS Hour Law

To the Editor kennebec Journal:
Last winter a bill was presented "a
the Maine legislature asking to have
the present 54-hour per week law
changed to f0Ety-eight hours Il week
for women ana children in mills and
factories.
There is in Maine a strong organ
i2ation of capital that runs the mills,
factories and shops. These men
went TO the legislature and defeated
this iS-hour ill. Then the friends
of the 4S-hour law pctitioned our
state; our governor has called a
special election for October Is. Those
who want the 4S-hour week will vote
yes; those who want the present "a
hour week viii vote no.
The Whole question Of hours per
day is what is best for humanity.
History tells Us that capital has al
ways been for longer hours than Ia
Dor has. History tells us that the
world has progressed the best since
slavery was stopped and shorter
hours begun; that the fewer the
hours the faster We progressed.
Progression with tho human race
is slow, Let me prove il. Our first
president. George Washington. owned
slaves and thought it was right; just
the same as people today think it is
right to vote to compel women and
children TO work il mills and fac
tories nine hours a day instead of
eight hours.
The whole aim Of all churches is to
help humanity. Here is a great op-
portunity for the churches in Maine
to help women and children by going
To tho nnlfs IstAl,pr | IN "
yes.
1t has been only about sixty years
since a days work in shipyards was
from sunrise to sunset. About
fifty years ago the length of a day
was from sunrise 10 sunset in the hay
field, in the saw mills and in harvest
ing. Later the saw mills ran two
crews. one by day and one by night.
This brought about the 12-hour day
in other employmcnts. No noon
hour was allowed until we got ten
hours a day. about forty years ago.
| koV~What it is to work long
days. When | was a boy l worked
in saw mills (more than one season.
twelve hours a day, With just time
out to eat my dinner. Now, on my
farm tand | own and operate one of
the best farms in Hancock county,
the men work nine hours. and | am
prospecting. ] want to see a univer-
sal S-hOur day.
Some of the managers of industries
OF Maine are telling the people that if
their days work is reduced from nine
hours n day to eight hours, they will
have to close down their shops or
factories. Statistics prove that the
wages per week in Massachusetts on
eight hours are from 50 to S. higher
than in Maine on nine hours. Now,
they are not as smart as the Massa-
ChusCtts manufacturers. or they are
misrepresentng their side.
Eleven states now have the As hour
week for women and children in in
dUstry. These states are Massachu-
sets, California, Montana. Oregon,
Washington, Utah. No. Dakota, Ne
Vada. Colorado, New Mexico and
Arizona. Massachusetts is a great,
progressive state. She likes this s.
hour day. Massachusetts is great in
manufacture, great in education and
great in public men. Nineteen foreign
nations have enacted the S-hour law
for women and children in industry.
Some Of our manufacturers are
telling the people that if the hours
per day are made fewer. their wages
will be cut down. Don't you believe
this, for every intelligent person
knows that as the hours in a days
work have decreased wages have in
creased. This is history. Don't for
get that fact, strange, but true. Let
me still prove from our Maine labor
commissioner. These statistics show
that there are siXty-six wooden mills
in Maine employing June 1928, 14.362
people. Twenty mills employing
a,0O7 people. working forty eight
hours week, paid higher wages
than the other mills that were work
ed tifty-four hours. Thirty-six pulp
and paper mills in Maine employ 49,
612. all on the 4S-hour week.
Who are asking US to retain this