Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-23
Secretary Of Labor
Explains Her Stand
Greater Efficiency Seen
In Shorter Hours by
Miss Perkins
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
In an editorial in your paper of De-
cember IL, entitled 1.-THE Hard Realities"
you ask What Interpretation is to be
placed on the recent statement by Secre-
tary of Labor Perkins that there is no
need to undermine wage and hour legis-
lation, to lengthen the 40-hour week, as
our defense needs shape up at this time
- Does Miss Perkins subscribe to the
fantastic belief that we should wait until
the British are fallen before exerting
maximum effort to arm ourselves and to
aid them? Miss Perkins and those who
agree with her utterly fail to compre-
bend the Importance of the time ele-
ment in modern warfare"
May I say that in recommending
compliance with the wage-hour legisla-
ton have always taken pains to say
what I believe to be the truth-that the
shorter hours will result in greater eff
cheney, greater per capita and per plant
production, and can be relied on to speed
up our defense program rather than to
delay it, If I did not so believe I would
not recommend the following of such
pattern. Every study into industrial
efficiency and production made both in
this country and in England has shown
increased production under shorter
hours. Moreover, the minimum wage
levels and the provisions for overtime
pay tend to stabilize industrial relations
and to prevent declines in production due
to inadequate diet, financial worry and
dissatisfaction. call your attention to
the report of the British Munitions Com
mission which found that during the
last war reduction of working hours
actually increased production. Nearly
tenth more work was turned out when
hours were reduced from &c to 45la. The
chief of ordnance of the United States
Army in 1917, when the Nation was at
war, made this statement:
I'm view of the urgent necessity for
prompt increase in the volume of pro-
duction of practically every article re-
quired for the conduct of the war, vigil
lance is demanded of all those in any
way associated with industry lest the
safeguards with which the people of this
country have sought to protect labor
should be unwisely and unnecessarily
broken down. 1t is fair assumption
that for the most part these safeguards
are the mechanisms of efficiency In
dustrial history proves that reasonable
hours. fair working conditions and a
proper wage scale are essential to high
production. During the war every at
tempt should be made to conserve in
every way possible all of our achieve
ments in the way of social betterment
But the pressing argument for maintain
ing industrial safeguards in the present
emergency is that they actually con-
tribute to efficiency. To waive them
would be short-sighted policy, leading
gradually but inevitably toward lowered
production"
Another aspect of the continuation Of
the short work week and the minimum
wage compliance lies in the fact that as
one sees the. defense program for the
next three to five years it becomes OBJ
vious that we shall at sometime need a
larger number Of skilled workmen. Since
skilled workmen can only be trained in
plants which are in operation and under
the supervision of older experienced
Workmen who are working on the job. it
becomes desirable to introduce into the
factories in the early stages of the de-
tense program as many men as possible
in order that those who are competent
and experienced workmen may hand on
their trade and their skill to many
younger people so that they may be
ready for the demands for skilled labor
at the peak of the defense program. This
is an aspect that is not often thought
of, but which should be emphasized when
we are discussing these matters.
The hard realities I think, therefore
should lead us to the conclusion that we
must use every bit of our equipment and
our materials, as well as the human be-
ings who work them, to the best possible
advantage so as to get the largest pro-
duction of high and reliable quality and
continuous flow
FRANCES PERKINS,
Secretary of Labor.