The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-01

NEW YORK, June 3O.-"When h. dustry employs men twelve hours a day 1t is committing a moral tres pass and challenges the churches in their own field" declares the Rev. F. Ernest Johnson, head of the re- search department of the Federal Council of Churches, in making pub lie a report on The Twelve Hour Day in the Steel Industry" re- search bulletin on the long workday.
 The research bulletin has been in preparation for months and is a compilation of reports of investiga- tors of recognized compentence and standing into conditions connected with the two-shift day
 MT. Johnson states that his work on the part of the churches is neces- leading propaganda in connection with the twelve-hour day. He says regarding the research bulletins:
 "The entrance of the churches once again into the twelve-hour day con trCversy means that we have been forced to take seriously the state ment made by Judge E. H. Gary, the acknowledged leader of the steel in dustry in America, that he is less concerned over the tWelve-hour day itself than over what the public thinks about it. We feel it our duty to keep the public informed about conditions in the industry until the public demands that they be changed. Apparently the manufacturers spCnsible for the recent report is sued by the American Iron and Steel Institute are not impressed with the weight of public opinion on this sub ject.
 Public Has Strong Conviction.
 'It was assumed that the appoint ment of an Investigating committee year ago meant that the industry was about to yield to the urgent re- quest of the President of the United States. It now appears that this ac- tion was only a gesture. We do not accept the Iron and Steel Institutes estimate of the public conscience Cn the twelve hour day. We believe the public has a strong convition about lc when brought face to face with the facts.
 q anticipate that it will be once more asserted that churchmen as such are not qualified for reporting oii lHuuStTidI pIAbltIlS anu ulSputcS' Yet the fact Is that we are driven to the attempt by the prevalence of misleading propaganda on all sides of a controversy like this The latest contribution to this propa- ganda is the su-calied Analysis tf the interchurch world movement re- port on the steel strikr,' by which Mir. Marshall OIds defends the twelve-hour day. This volume, all though it carries an introduction by a well-known writer tn economic subjects and even a certificate of accuracy by prominent firm of New York accountants, is teemng with errors and misleading state ments. Quotations are mutiiated, statistics are Earbled facts are falsely reported. Notwithstanding this, the book has apparently been adopted by the United States Steel corpC ration as it's own defense and has been freely circulated by Judge Gary, the chairman of the board. Announcements Accurate.
 When economists and public ac- countants miss the mark so widely. churchmen are not likely to take very seriously the adlorition to keep away from economic questions. The fact remains that the pronounce ments of churchmen on the steel in- dustry have been remarkably ac- curate as compared with the absurd ly misleading documents which the industry has circulated in it's own defense.
 No line can be drawn between