Show Trade Union Success I In n Effort to Shorten the Hours of Labor By SAMUEL GOMPERS President American Federation of Labor Y ABOH ABOn Da Day brings to the workers L I of America the right to cheer I and confidence In the trade union movement There have boon been tests and mid crises that have proved Its Us fundamental principles there have been opportunities that have tested Its practical efficiency Through them all nil the trade union movement has made sure pure progress and gained In confident vision for the future Every ery national and international every local union to the American AmerIcan- Federation of or Labor has made ronde definite progress In securing for its members greater advantages In those things which are oro fundamental of betterment In all relations of life In some organizations the success has been phenomenal There has been great progress In securing securing se se- se- se curing the hour eight-hour day or the shorter short short- I er workday The meanIng moaning of the tho victories vie vic tories ories can be Interpreted only in the I light Ight of full understanding of the meanIng of ot the tho hour eight-hour Jay day The I shorter workday Is something more than ban an economic demand It Is a dk- dk mand for opportunity for rest recuperatIon recuperation recuperation I and development things which mal make e life more than mechanical drudgery I The worl workers ers whose whoso whole periods I are short are essentially different from I those who are so worn b by toll toIl that they have neither energy nor mind for other things In life They become more more energetic more resourceful workers workers workers work work- ers with keener mentality and greater reater producing power It Inevitably follows that the short-hour short workers arc ure tim tho best est paid workers ers With every reduction thIn tion In iR hours there Is always alwa's a corresponding corre corre- sp increase In wages Wherever demands for the tho shorter workday and higher wages have been heen presented and urged by organized workers during the thelast thelast I last year they have met with success I These economic gains have a potent relation to the social side of life Ufe Shortening the period of work lengthens the period of development and for all nIl of the other other activities that belong to the normal Individual Increases Increases Increases In In- creases In iii wages give the workers the tile means for taking advantage of the increased increased in In- creased opportunities of the shorter workday The workers rs of short hours i S 'S I t v H 4 4 and anil better wages become very different differ differ- differ I cut ent citizens from those who are so exhausted ex eX- hausted ha b by the dull dally daily grind that they have hn neither the time nor the energy I I for thought or aspiration These g gains I menu mean better homes better food better clothing time and opportunity for forthe forthe forthe the cultivation of tho best and the highest that is possible In the life of man |