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Show SHORTER WORKDAY MUST COME Bjr PRESIDENT WHITNEY, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. There is widespread unemployment in every walk of life. It exists not only in the ranks of labor but among business and professional men as well. The cause is easily seen in the development of the machine age. Machinery is replacing workers everywhere, for the greater efficiency which machines make possible eliminates jobs for trainmen and enginemeu that were available five years ago. The same is true in nearly every other line. The actual number of jobs is fewer now than before, while our population pop-ulation continues to increase. It is useless to hope and pray for a return of "better business" to eliminate unemployment. It is not bad business that is creating unemployment. unem-ployment. It is unemployment that is creating bad business. Business cannot improve until unemployment is eliminated, for the unemployment destroys the purchasing power of the people. The one solution, therefore, is to shorten the working hours so that jobs may be created for all the workers now idle, and at the same time stabilize wages at their present level. This will be done. It is inevitable. WTien? I don't know. But if it is not done within, say, three years, we shall see millions literally walking the streets, jobless. |