Show PRESIDENT URGING HOUR EIGHT DAY IN ALL SHOPS I I Labor abor Under Wars War's Strain Must Be Conserved Say I Nations Nation's Leaders By Basil M. M Manly Of The Telegrams Telegram's Washington Bureau W WASHINGTON D. D C. C Nov 10 i President Wilson it is stated by a very reliable source has un under er consideration tion an executive order making malting the hour eight day obligatory In all basic Industries regardless of whether they are directly employed on government contracts I The motive for this revolutionary step will not be concession to the de demands demands demands de- de mands of organized labor but the speeding up of the great American war machine to the highest productive efficiency The government will simply simply simply sim sim- ply take of ot the results of experience both here and abroad which demonstrates conclusively that over long periods of time men can do more work on hour eight-hour shifts than if employed 9 10 11 or 12 hours Ample provision it is explained will willbe willbe willbe I be made in the order for overtime ove on onrush onrush rush work and all kinds of war emergencies emergencies emergencies emer emer- but proper means will be po- po I vided for discouraging overtime except in cases of real re-al necessity The Initiative in the hour day movement was taken by Samuel Gompel'S Gompers Gom- Gom pers pel'S but he was soon Joined by a number number num num- ber bar of influential business men who saw the practical necessity of ot standardizing standardizing standardizing stan stan- the American working day so that the industrial energy of the country would not be sapped b by overwork overwork overwork over over- work during the very beginning of what may prove to be a long and arduous arduous arduous ous struggle The movement was also indorsed by bythe bythe bythe the experienced students of industrial questions sent to America by England who testified to the great mistake England made in her workers workers' workers workers' work work- ers ers' energy to be drained by unlimited overtime work during the first year of the wa A practical war condition makes It imperative for America to exercise exceptional ex ex- c care to conserve her industrial industrial indus indus- trial energy Before the war the sup sup- ply of fesh unskilled labor by immigration tion was vas so great it was possible to work men twelve hours a n. day until they were ready for the human heap A sturdy immigrant was al alI always always al- al ways waiting to take the place of every I worn out man But today the laborer enfeebled or overstrained by excessive hours simply simply sim aim ply cannot be replaced Not only is there no new supply coming In but through the draft and the great expansion expansion ex ex- of industry we have exhausted the reserve Secretaries Baker and Daniels are understood to have indorsed the standardize stand stand- working day and it now awaits only the approval of President Wilson Vilson who is believed to be entirely favor favor- able I |