Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/547

 SOCIAL EFFECTS OF THE EIGHT-HOUR DAY $ 2 7

fear of loss of custom and the reluctant advantage to a neigh- boring merchant keep men from cutting down the hours of clerks. In reality there is no reason why buyers could not easily conform their purchases to the hours set by the eight- hour day. But in the railway and street-car service the public demands trains and cars at all times. The eight-hour day in such instances would mean increased expense of operation ; but the public would get a better service by the use of two shift? of men in the case of street railways than at the present time. More than that, the general adoption of eight hours would con- fine travel to more limited time, reducing comparatively the expense over the present lack of concentrated travel. The present system keeps men at work for long hours, endangering the traveling public by possible carelessness due to sleepiness and fatigue. On the railroad systems even worse conditions prevail, but with much better excuse. The state has from time to time attempted to interfere, but without marked success. The eight-hour day is possible in many divisions of railroad work, and when attainable should be insisted upon by the public for its own protection.

The interests of the individual and the community are by no means identical in the establishment of the eight-hour day. The community desires the highest good and greatest energies of its workers through long periods of time. This can be accomplished in most industries without any accompanying loss of productive power by shorter hours of work, as has been proven in the experience of many industries. On the other hand, in specific instances and in the operation of railroads and street cars the shorter day will increase expense of operation considerably, though not by any very large percentage. In some industries where labor is not employed continuously, but periodically, and gathered from any and all sources, the employer finds it to his advantage to push the hours of work to the longest possible limit. Human energies can stand a pace of this kind for a time, and as the employer does not worry about a future supply of workers he expects to win an increased profit by such a policy. These industries have come to be