Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-24
Government Five.Day
Work Week Favored
To the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
Permit the writer through the coll
umns Of your paper to say that the
millions of wage earners throughout
the country no doubt will accept in
good faith the position taken by Sena-
tor James E. Watson, Republican leader
J of the Senate, on the five-day week for
| all Federal employees as a step toward
| a practical solution of the present I'M
! employment situation. The Senator is
| quoted in the press as saying the five
day week should begin in the Govern
ment service, since that is directly
under the control of Congress.
If Congress is sincere in its efforts
in meeting the present unemployment
situation with all its untold suffering
and misery and prevent similar stu
alton from year to year, then Congress
should at least at the present session
| pass S. 5l00. introduced by Senator
Walsh of Massachusetts, putting all
Federal employees on a five-day week.
| If such action is taken at the present
| session, then no doubt the President
would call into conference the captains
of industry to meet with a committee
| representing the organized labor move
| ment of the country, as represented by
| the American Federation of Labor, in
Guiding the Big Four railroad Organi-
cations and similar committee of
economists, for the purpose of devising
ways and means to put into effect as
! far as practical five-day work week
| in such industries where such practice
| you'd be feasible.
At the present time some of the larg-
/ est industries of the country are run
ming successfully on a five-day week
| policy.
Statistics given out from time to time
| by the American Federation of Labor
bearing on the five-day week show that
! there are several hundred thousand
tradesmen working under an agreement
which calls for a five-day week. Re-
| Gently a number of local Typographical
unions have voluntarily inaugurated
! fivc-day week to take care of the I'M
| employed in their ranks caused by the
| economic earthquake.
! While the present session of Congress
| VIII end on March 4, it will be IN to
! the Democratic leaders in Congress
| backed up by the organized workers in
| the country to stand with Senators
| Watson and Walsh Probably such a bill
| could be passed at the present short
session. If not then, the Federal en-
| ployes will have to wait until the next
Congress meets. The working men and
| women who are pleading for an oppor-
NNA44V5 w WIN AOAl y VAIN CHARITY nor
dole, but they want and need and
have right to demand if one pIeases
Tor an opportunity to earn an honest
living.
If the present session Of Congress will
adopt the five-day week for all Federal
employees. it would not only be in har-
mony with Senator Wagner's bill, but
would be the only practical relief meas
ure that would give employment to that
particular class Of workers known as
| the white-collar class, for TO-DAY oIIr
| hlgn schools and colleges are turning
| out every year thousands of young men
and women whose only opportunity to
| earn livelihood is in the clerical field
F. G. ROBERTS,
EX.-PreS1dent, Columbia Typograph-
1cal Union, 101, Washington, D. C.