Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1920-09-19 | Page 25 | Swedes Report 8-Hour Day is Far Too Short

SWEDES REPORT 8-H0UR DAY iS FAR TOO SHORT I STOCKHOLM, Sept 18. A governing govern-ing r.i committee which has investigated investigat-ed the operation of the Qight-hour law enacted by the Liberal-Socialist Eden government has Just recommended thai the law bo suspended and revised 'it advocates that the length of the working day should be made rlepen-d rlepen-d nt upon a mutual ngrement between be-tween employers and employes and that s Dim provision be made for longer working hours under certain clrcum- Ma 11CCS. I The committee was unanimous In finding that tho expectation that the I measure w ould encourage industry on the part of the workers has not been realised It reports that In no single line of work have the employes shown any greater efficiency or energy, that I there has been a considerable decline In production. It suys that several I big plants are on the verge of closing 'down because they can not bo made 'to earn profits owing to heavy charges for Increased housing facilities for workers, higher payrolls and the high cost of machinery, The committee's investigation cov- red a period of eight months- I'nder the law heavy fines on employers were .authorized for infringement and councils coun-cils of employers, emplov h and ko-lernment ko-lernment representatives were established estab-lished to consider any departure from itho eight-hour working day astablish-Od astablish-Od under the law. When the measure was Introduced, tijalmur Brantlng, the Socialist leader and labor leaders declared it would loot reduce production.