Evening star., 1932-12-09
Short Work Week Believed
Inevitable i'm Normal Times

Demand of the American Federation
of Labor for five-day week and six
hour day has inspired comments in all
parts Of the country. Some observers
believe that present conditions are un-
favorable, while others hold that the
time has arrived for the application OF
the rule. Examples among isolated en-
pioyers are declared to have been sue
Is the contention that industry is too
heavily burdened now to undertake in
creased labor cost.
"The enlightened improvement of the
circumstances of labor will always mean
the improvement of agr whole national
economy" thinks the Des Moines Reg
| lister, "and for that reason, If for no
other, 1t deserves the earnest support
of every class" The Dayton Daily
News, recognizing that Tabor is work
ing out problem of its own for coping
with the economic program" suggests
that ''its program may be wrong or
right" but advises that "those who
come forward to say it is wrong stand
obligated to propose a better" Quot
ing the labor leaders as upholding the
purpose Of mastery of the machine, "
| and demanding the great reform
through reason" but holding force" in
reserve, the Newark Evening News ad-
vises that II they "can tell how they
intend to master the machine they
will not have to use force"
THE flve-day week in industry Is
almost a certainty" in the opinion OF
the Charleston Is. c. Evening Post,
which feels, however, that st Is begin
ming to be doubtful If that will be suf-
f1cient to solve the problem" The Eve
ming Post adds: Nov that man has
learned to make machines, it seems
that he is in danger of working him.
self out of job. Was Samuel Butler a
true phophet? Will man eventually
have to rebel against the machine and
exterminate it before it exterminates
him? Or will the world sooner find a
solution to the enormous problem of
distribution that will make available to
countless millions of the worlds popu-
lation the products Of science and me-
chanics of which they now know little
or nothing and thereby prolong, for a
while at least, the need for increasing
production?"
+ y * X
Some industrial leaders have been
experimenting with shorter working
out only on small scale but with sat-
isfactory results" says the San Jose
Mercury Herald, with the conclusion
that there is no better time to investi-
gate the possibilities than now," and
that "if it is found that labor is mis-
taken in thinking the f1ve-day week and
six-hour day is a practical remedy that
will cure unemployment, then other
measures will have to be devised"
One question that impreSseS the Fort
Worth Star-Telegram is as to ''the in
f1uence Of 30-hour week in organized
labor, without one to accompany it
throughout the vast area of unorgan-
lied labor" That paper concludes:
THE action Of the Federation of Labor
Is one certain accomplishment, how
ever. It Is a direct challenge to inertia
on the part Of the industrial heads. If
it has no other merit, it Is recipe that
is approved by vital element in the
present state Of affairs. The prescrib-
ers are willing to take their own pre-
scriptions. It now Is up to somebody
else to prescribe and make the same
crucial test"
without any particular steering.
without any organized ballyhoo," de-
clares the Omaha World Herald. "the
shorter week Is coming. There viii be
obstacles In its path, Of course. MANY
employers, many groups of employers,
viii object. But IN a few years the
shEtss wesk yHl be standard and
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