EIGHT-HOUR DAY

the ideal of labor organizations, based on \the old English labor maxim that every work- | ingman should have ‘eight hours sleep, eight hours play, eight hours work, and eight bob a day.’ Laws for the shortening of the number of working hours per day in the industries have been pa ed in all industrial countries, a Ten Hour Bill being pa ed in the British Parliament as far back as in 1847. An eight-hour law was pa ed in Australia, in 1856, and Ecuador enacted one in 1916. In 1867 both Connecticut and Illinois pa ed eight-hour laws, which were rendered absolutely void by the clause ‘unle otherwise agreed upon.’ Other states have done likewise, but all these laws together have had absolutely no material effect. Some mention, however, should be made of the Federal law enacted by Congre , in 1916, at the recommendation of President Wilson, making it compulsory for all interstate railroads to limit their working days to eight hours. This was done to avert the strike which the railroad brotherhoods then threatened. The law was immediately challenged and held up by injunctions. Labor organizations realize that the eight-hour day can never become effective through legislation, and hope to realize it finally only through the force of their own solidarity. In some trades or, more often, in particular establishments, it has already been achieved, by that means. In 1886 there was a general strike in Chicago for the purpose of gaining an eight-hour day in that city, but though many manufacturers conceded the demand, it never became universal. Another general strike was attempted in 1890, covering the whole country, but while apparently effective at first, the results were lost during the trade depre ion following soon after. The Government, as an employer, has recognized the eighth our day and limits the hours of labor in all its own establishments to that number. See BrorHEerHoops, RAILROAD. of His Sacred Majestze in his Solitudes and Sufferings, book pub. just after Charles I.’s execution; claims to be} work oe Tea but Dr. Bi pesos claim to authorship is generally accep 7 i iti hon) t ree 1649. eee emecced 16 in. Evtonoplastes E.), town, Saxony. Pop. 17,000.