Arizona sun., 1953-06-19
ST RAIGHT
AHEAD
By OLIVE A. ADAMS

news reports tell us that labor
unions will begin soon to press for
a 30-hour week, and more than
likely they will win it. But not
necessarily because of the aggres-
siveness of the unions, but rather
because mans skill and inventive
genius have produced machines
and gadgets that have multiplied
many times the productive power
| of one man.
If trade union leaders had not
pressed for shorter hours and
shorter. work week in the past, it
would have been necessary for en-
ployers to do it; and if not en-
ployers, then the Federal govern
ment would have had to step in.
For, if the modern worker, using
these modern tools, spent twelve
hours day at his job, we would be
faced with the problem of over
production, a situation in which
there would be surplus goods, and
ruinous initiation.
Yes vast changes have taken
place in the laborer's life in a few
years. Most of US can. remember
when a laborer'S day started at
sunup, and he spent the whole day
at back-breaking work that left
him just enough energy to go home
and drop in the nearest chair. And,
of course, he worked on Saturday,
too. This was tough routine, but
the boss said it kept him out of
mischief And, further interested in
the workers welfare" his boss
used to pay him on Monday, just
SO he wouldn't go out on the town
and come in with "big head on
Monday.
The laboring man for the most
part, now knocks off around four
in the afternoon, refreSheS himself
with a shower and finds he has
time on his hands. Thanks to mod
ern research and equipment, he
has spent his day in an air-cOn~
ditioned, streamlined plant which
efficiency experts have laid out in
such way as to save him steps,
preserve, his eyesight and conserve
his energy. This should also leave
him in a pleasant frame of mind.
Perhaps it is true that in the old
SO busy he didn't have time to look
| around him, and there was much
| he didn't have an opportunity to
! learn. And, having had a tough
day. he was not only physically
tired, but too disgruntled to think
| about anyone else around him. 1t
| is understandable then, that peo-
| pc didn't have much time to worry
about things like human relations
| and international affairs.
But now the working man has
leisure. What is he doing with it?
What can he do with it?
For one thing, there is hardly
city in the country that doesn't
offer cultural opportunities that
the working man can take adVan-
| tage of for little or no cost. Adult
| education courses are offered at
every level and at convenient eve
ming hours. Lectrues, exhibits,
free-concerts, and discussion groups
are held so that everybody can
| keep up with the latest develop
ments in local, national and inter-
national affairs.
I For the Negro, it means yet an
other thing. He has the time now,
and is exposed to the means where
by he can learn more about his
own history and the part his peo-
pie have played in the develop
ment of his country. He has plenty
| of time to do some independent
! thinking on his role in America.
! He should learn something of the
power of his yearly aggregate in
come, the power of his vote, and
the weight of his opinion. When he
learns all this he cannot help but
think we'll of himself, and in think
ing we'll of himself, he increases his
value to himself and to his coun-