Page:The Economic Journal Volume 1.djvu/276

 254 maintained. He may to some slight extent affect the supply, but otherwise he is powerless to control the forces that regulate the demand. A reduction in prices tends to reduce the rate of wages.

And in so far as any miner working a forty-eight hours week sends to the surface a smaller amount of coal than he does at present his weekly wages will fall. From the table previously referred to it appears that in all the districts it is possible for a maximum eight hours day to be worked without reducing the actual number of hours per week that the men work at the face. For instance, in West Lancashire the hewers are underground forty-five hours per week of 4·83 days, and of this time 4·6 hours are devoted to meals. Under a maximum eight hours day, if they work only the same number of days, i.e. 4·83, they would be in the mine 38·6 hours. It is not to be supposed that a miner in 38·6 hours can hew as much as in forty-five hours. His weekly wages will tend to be reduced in proportion to the reduction of hours. But such reduction will tend to make him work a sufficient time to secure his former weekly wages. Will he be able to do so under an eight hours day? Undoubtedly. Out of the forty-five hours previous to the reduction 4·6 hours were devoted to meals, leaving only 40·4 for getting to and from the face and hewing. If after the introduction of the eight hours day the hewer saves the 4·6 hours, he will be able to devote the whole 38·6 hours to his work, leaving only 1·8 hours to be worked additional on the fifth day. To put the matter shortly, 40·4 hours (the average number of weekly hours the West Lancashire miners work at present, meal time being excluded) could be worked under an eight hours day in 5·05 days, no time being allowed for meals. The hewer who is underground at present for 4·83 days in the week and is allowed 4·6 hours per week for meals, would be underground 5·05 days, and receive no time for meals. The figures given in column 7 of Table A show clearly the possibility of most miners hewing as many hours under an eight hours day as under the present system.

Will the possibility be realized? Will the miner be ready and willing under an eight hours day to endeavour to maintain his output? Whatever answer may be given to this question, there is no doubt but the miner will have every incentive to hew as much coal as possible. The miner's 'standard of comfort' varies, it is true, in different parts of the country; but that he aims at some standard is beyond all doubt. Prices not rising, he must, to gain the same wages in the shorter day, send as much