Show American Federation of Labor Declares Five-Day Five Week Will Increase Industrial Production EDITORS EDITOR'S NOTE NOTE NOTE- The American Federation of Labor at Its recent convention In Los Angeles n Inaugurated a new policy a a policy of trying trying to speed up Industrial Industry production as opposed to the traditional labor Jabor attitude Time was when labors labor's aim was U to tomake tomake tomake make the Job last lost to restrict output and at the same time to seek higher wages Now however with the five-day five week as a goal labor has taken an opposite course It Is seeking to increase production to Increase output so that each worker can produce more In five fist fh e days' days work than h h. h formerly could In six It welcomes the advent of saving labor-saving machines Because this marks a a. most Im Im- Important Important im- im important development de In American In Industrial In- In Industrial industrial relations The Standard Ex Ex- Ex Examiner and NEA Service have asked William M. M Green president of the American Federation of Labor to discuss It for their readers Mr Greens Green's article especially written in response to that request Is presented herewith By ny WILLIAM WILLIA M M. GREEN I President resident the American Federation of Labor Contrary to general opinion the American Federation of Labors Labor's La rs r's cam cam- campaign campaign campaign for a a. five work-day work week will tend to increase rather than retard general production through through- throughout out the United States There arc are two to main mater reasons r ons why hy we arc striving for a fhe five work work- workday workday workday day week The first is that it will better the general Industrial conditions in our country The second Is that because of ot the high tension under which men are now working they need ned two complete completo days of ot rest I every week LABOR IN ix 1 0 o HURRY HUnny I Of ot course it be some time before belore the five l work day week eek will willbe willbe be nationally adopted We arent aren't trying to revolutionize re Industry Indus y over over- night We are going about It gr Sd I g sd- sd d- d dually so that there will vill be no I financial loss either to manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers I or 0 the public Many Industries have established their business on a five day schedule An Increasing number of people en- en enJoy enjoy enjoy Joy the half day work workweek Workweek workweek week now Saturday afternoon va va- vacations vacations are being given In almost every industrial community There are many economic points in favor of ot the shorter working week For one thing a a. man with two days da rest Is able to work at a sufficiently higher speed to more than make up for the time he Is absent from his Job And the in introduction in- in introduction introduction of so many powered high forces men to work under such tension that they require more rest than they did under the slower methods of ot production a few years ago Then there Is the machinery itself to consider A machine will mil last longer and operate better If U it is given rest and attention With shops being closed two days a a. week every ever bit of machinery In them can be Inspected weekly thus preventing breakdowns delays and possibly many accidents during working hours WILL RILL PRODUCE MORE 1 As a result both the tho man and the machine will produce more in five days than they do now In five and md anda a half halt or six days The demand for higher production speed will also encourage more new mechanical developments and labor- labor laborsaving laborsaving saving savinI devices They In turn will eliminate a certain amount of ot man manpower power It is this gradual replace replace- replacement replacement replacement ment of men by machines that is partially responsible for our five work-day work week campaign We must have ha some means of caring for the overflow Right along with a a. shorter work- work workIng workIng Ing lug week we are asking for higher salaries in order to protect the economic situation of ot the entire country If a mans man's wage Is cut cutalong cutalong cutalong along with his working hours his purchasing power will be decreased and as a result the demand for commodities will also be be lessened And too a man spends spends spends' more money In his free time than when he is working so with two free days a week he will need a larger Income OUT-OF-DATE OUT ARGUMENTS The National association n. n of ot Man Man- Manufacturers Manufacturers Manufacturers has Issued a n pocket man man- manual manual manual ual citing objections to the five- five day week plan Their arguments are amazingly like those which were offered a a. century ago by employers against the ten hour day The arguments arguments ments are based on the unwar unwar- unwarranted unwarranted unwarranted ranted assumption that the shorter work york week entails reduced lon lion Our purpose is Just the contrary We Ve want to increase the national output Copyright 1927 1827 NEA Service Inc |