Evening star., 1932-09-23
GENEVA PROBES
E0RTY-HOUR WEEK
Italian Plan Being Examined
by International Labor
Bureau.
By Cable to The Star.

BY Gable to The Star
ROME, September 23.-Italy's 40
hour week plan is now being examined
bv the Council of the International La
bor Bureau at Geneva. Backers ana
sponsors of this movement have ap-
parently succeeded in convincing the
labor Bureau Council of the extreme
urgency involved in this special occa-
sion, for it is the first time special
meeting has been summoned BY the
bureau since its inception.
Ever since last April, when the idea
for a shorter week was first born, the
conviction steadily spread throughout
European and American working cir
cles that reduction of hours might help
to curtail to no small extent the major
effects of Autumn and Winter unem-
ployment.
As minister of corporations, Premier
Benito Mussolini announced September
Z that an inquiry had been started to
determine the feasibility of introducing
the 40-hour week in all branches of
Italian industry.
Frequent Topic of Talk.
This represented the first definite
step taken here, though reduction of
working hours had been frequent
topic of discussion in labor circles prior
to II Duce's taking charge of the min
1Stry of corporations recently.
Reports submitted by the various in
dustrial considerations, from which the
ministry in turn hastened to prepare a
survey planned to be submitted to the
bureau in Geneva, are said to favor the
plan, save for few exceptions, includ-
ing those industries finding the 40-hour
week impractical because not divisible
into six days. Normal rotation of shifts
is thus made awkward when operation
is continuous. Agriculture. owing to
its seasonal nature, is united against
adoption of such plan, as it is un-
adaptable to fixed hours.
During the interval since the gov
ernmental inquiry into the project there
has been much ado in the local press
over whether a corresponding reduction
in wages was contemplated in the event
of application of the shorter week as set
forth in the Italian scheme.
Oppose Pay Cut.
Labor newspapers are decidedly
against any cut in remuneration. Their
defense is based on the assertion that
unchanged remuneration, coupled with
shorter working hours, wodld increase
the buying power of the masses, thus
creating a greater consuming public.
Industrialists, however, argue that no
cut in wages would mean a general
charge on industry for additional work.
ers would have to be taken on as re-
suit of shorter hours. Also, they say,
another possible consequence might be
a rise in the price of industrial products.
Though public opinion by a majority
favors no reduction of wages, it is
learned that the government survey
favors 40-hour wages with the cur
tailed week. 1t is also the governments s
belief that the scheme would assist the
forthcoming International Economic
Conference.
Finding this experiment entirely
suited to its own demands in many lines
Of industry, Italy already is operating
on f1ve-day week. These amenable
industries are the southern cotton mills
of Naples, several textile companies in
Northern Italy, as well as silk concerns
and steel plants.
Railways and road building activities
fit easier with the plan here, being un-
der state control, than the merchant
marine and the building industry, which
works intermittently, according to the
clemency Of the weather.
(Copyright, 1922