Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-06-22

posed to the public interest.
Whatever will be said against the
twelve-hour day in the steel indus
try, investigation has convinced this
committee that the same has not of
itself been an injury to the employees,
physically, mentally or morally. The
workmen, as a rule, prefer the long
er hours because it's permits larger
compensation per day. 1t is asserted
with confidence that there is less
physical work as a total per day and
less fatigue from the work of the
tWelve-hour day than pertains to the
large majority of the eight-hour
men,"
Why the Labor Shortage
No one will dispute Judge Gary's
assertion that steel would cost the
consumer 10 per cent more if the
twelve-hour day were abolished.
That is one subject upon which he
and his associates have first-hand
and unquestioned knowledge. There
will be general acceptance also of
his statement that the suggested
change would necessitate a larger
number of workers, although excep-
tions may be taken to his estimate
of go,
However, there are those who will
insist upon knowing why there
should be such a shortage of labor
that the steel industry could not Sc
cure these additional workers be-
cause of immigration restrictions. 1t
would seem that an industry where
the work is so easy hat the men can
work twelve hours out of twenty
fATf., ri = Fotf-r,N - LNxA AA4
pay is so attractive that men insist
upon being given an opportunity at
the longer work day, would be able
to get all the employees it would use,
even if other Industries suffered
from a labor shortage.
AS a matter of fact, if the Gary
committee had acquainted the public
with the figures as to the labor turn
over among the t~welve-hour workers
in the steel industry it's report would
have been far more Illuminating and
instructive. Industrial experts proph-
esied for years that just as 500 as
the government limited immigration
from Europe Judge Gary's industry
would be in trouble, for American
workers would not go into the mills
for twelve-hour shifts and foreigners
will stay at that sort of a job nc
longer than it takes them to learn
that men can live in this country
without working more than eight
hours, or nine at the most. The
stream OF common labor from Eur
ope that fed the twelve-hour shifts
in the steel industry moved steadily
on to other jobs, and when thai
stream was checked there was nc
labor supply from which the indus
try might draw.
Henry Ford, who may be com
pared with Judge Gary as one of the
great industrial leaders of the world
placed himself definitely on record
on the eight-hour day question dur
ing the war when he was the umpire
called upon to settle n of the case
which the National War Labor
Board could not agree upon.
MY experience, and also my rea
son." said Mr.. Ford, teaches mt
that very few emergencies ever exis
in a manufacturing business justify
ing the practice of exceeding eigh
working hours per day. The strail
of eight hours is enough, and tn
hours should never be increased ex
cept under the most extraordinar,
circumstances. l can not dwell to-
much on this. For the good of tn
men, for the good of the employer
and for the general results, l woult
admonish those interested to adher'
to the straight eight-hour day."
OF course it may be pointed GU
that Mr.. Ford may be running TO
president next year, whereas 1t
reasonably certain that Judge Gar,
will never be a candidate for an cleo
tive office.