Evening star., 1923-09-02
HAIL 8-H0UR DAY
SUCCESS IN MILLS
Native Steel Workers and
Leaders JubiIant at Change;
Foreign Element Opposed.
Special Dispatch 10 Tie Star.

GARY, Ind. September 1.-The
eight-hour day for steel mill work
ers, once declared to be an impossi-
, bility and less than six months ago
reckoned Il thing of the distant fu-
ture. has proved itself success after
three weeks of actual practice.
Just three weeks ago, when the
comparatively few OF the many thou
sands who produce the most widely
used metal in the world went on the
eight-hour shift, it was explained
that ii would be at least eighteen
months before the three shift eight
hour day would apply to all steel
workers. 1t can be stated on highest
authority today that the United States
Steel Corporation and many Of the
independents as well expect to have
all their workmen down to the eight
hour day by the end of December.
1923.
W. y. Gleason. superintneent of the
United States Steel Corporations S
subsidiary plant here, is sponsor for
the statement that to date the eight
hour day has been successful. and In
making the declaration he paid high
tribute to the men below who turn
out the raw material. which has fire.
quently been called the most impor-
tant basic commodity of the age.
"Hnppy Success"
The change SO far has been at
tended with happy success Mr..
Gleason said. "The unequaled lead
ership of Judge Gary and the loyal
work Of the rank and file have made
it possible to do this without notice
able disturbance to output despite the
great problems II presented and In the
- lob h0r ~
age"
Certain of the department superin
tendentS and foremen say there is
no question but that when the
change affects all workers, and they
have become trained and drilled TO
it, the increased output and efficiency
will more than counterbalance the
millions of dollars which will have
been added to the pay rolls.
There is, of course, heated division
of opinion among the workers about
the eight-hour day. The few who
have been fortunate enough to get
1T at the start are jubtlant. Their
wives and youngsters are even more
SO. George Jordan, an assistant fore
man in one of the open hearth fur
naces, was told today that on Mon
day he Will start working from
am. to pm. instead of to =. He
knew it means about $40 less month
in his envelope, but he stopped on
his way home to buy his wife pres
ent in celebration. Jordan lives in
one of the company built brick
apartment houses of the better class.
1t is workers of this caliber, at least
most enthusiastic and who will bene-
fit most by the change from twelve
hours.
Foreigners Opposed.
TT is only the foreigners who are
willing to slave for the few extra
dollars for half of their lives said
Jardon. I'VE Americans would far
rather make a little less money, live
a little more naturally and take
chances of laying by for the time
when we can't work.
Meanwhile workers still bound to
the grueling tolls of the twelve-hour
day have grown weary of waiting.
They have reads i'll some papers and
have heard from a very few that
Gary is on the eight-hour day" But
to them the new short day is still
Utopian goal not yet attained. And
none of the lhany the writer inter
viewed expressed hope that the four
much to be desired hours of leisure
would soon be theirs. Their chief
reaction is d mild feeling of jealousy
toward the Very few who have al
ready been granted the four extra
hours of liberty. The majority have
wanted it go much aud so long and
SO vainly that they think still there
the same with their wives and chill
dren. John Anderson. who is one of
those who keep the brick ovens re-
paired, lives next door to an open
hearth worker who is now on an
eight-hour shift. I'm still at the
same old shift he said. land I'll be-
lieve I'll get an eight-hour trick when
I get it. Yes, George got it, but how
do 1 know it'll last? Would 1 like
it? Is Coolidge PRESIDENT"
Homes Are Brighter.
So it went in a dozen homes. And
it took less than minute of con-
versation for the writer to divine
correctly whether he was in home
whose head was working eight hours
or twelve. There was invariably a
brightness, an atmosphere of con-
tentment in the former that was
lacking in the latter.
The movie theaterS are the only
business places that have noticed the
difference for the better so far.
Other business places say that, of
course, reduced salaries means less
buying, but they pointed out that
there VIII be additional men on the
pay rolls which will offset the former.
One thing is certain-thc plan
must continue. There would be All
upheaval of serious proportions at
the slightest backward step from the
eight-hour day. AS a matter of fact.
it is unquestionably this spirit of
petty jealousy and semi-unrest among
those who are still on the twelve
hour shifts that has determined steel
mill officials to speed the day when