The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-12
3O-HOUR WEEK
HELD HARMFUL
TO LABOR BOJY
Economists Declare That It
Would Reduce Real
Wages.

hg StFippS-h 0bQFu y CttSpQptT AttiHNCe
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-The 30
hour week is called "de .rimental to
the interests of labC.' as we'll as
other classes" in a pamphlet just
published by the Bookings Insti-
tuition. The authors are Harold @.
Moulton and Maurice Leven.
. Proceeding upon the theory that
sponsors of 30-hour week legislation
visualize shorter hours without a
decrease in pay, Messrs. Moulton
and Leven argue that prices would
be increased to such an extent that
real wages of the worker would be
appreciably reduced.
AS to the salaried classes. the
economists say 1T is not clear from
current discussion whether the 80
hour week would be made applicable.
If it did apply to them they would
be affected in much the same way
as wage earners. They would have
more leisure but this would be at
the cost of lower real income. If
the 30-hour week were not applied
to this class, they would have lower
standards of living without an in
crease of leisure. Individuals living
on fixed incomes would be adversely
affected to the precise extent that
prices rose"
Farmer to Be Hit
They contend that the farmer
would also be adversely affected,
even though the 30-hour week did
not apply to him directly. They say
that without getting more leisure,
he would be hit by the rise in prices
both as producer and consumer. His
operating cost would go up, thus re-
ducing his money income and the
purchasing power of this money
would also be curtailed as a result
Of the rising level of prices"
In this connection, the authors
point out, the 30-hour week would
work at cross purposes with the Ad-
ministration's agricultural program
which seeks better adjustment be-
tween agriculture and industry
through raising prices of farm
commodities relatively to the prices
of industrial products"
The 30-hour week also would
tend to impede international COM
merce at a time when the United
States is making renewed effort to
expand foreign trade. A sharp IN
crease in American wages would be
accompanied by an immediate de-
mand for higher tariffs as a means
of protecting the American market
from vast increase in imports of
cheaper foreign goods. In any
case, the rise in costs and prices
would increase the difficulties OF
American manufacturers in finding
outlets abroad"
Would Cut Output
1t is argued that the shorter
week would not prove satisfactory
even as relief measure. Assum-
ing that the 40-hour week now
existing, we're reduced to 80 hours,
Every unemployed worker could
presumably be given 80 hours of
work" But, since those to be
brought in to share the work Of
those now employed would on the
whole be less experienced and less
efficient for the particular tasks in
hand, their reabsorption in in
dustry by means Of the 3O-hour
week would obviously mean a de-
crease in total industrial output
and in volume of goods and serv-
ices available for supplying the
wants of the people.
Other methods, or combination
of methods. for affording relief are
clearly superior to spreading en-
ployment. They are on the whole
beset with fewer practical difficult
ties, they are more equitable, and
they do not lead to a reduction in
total output"