Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor

LABOR AND THE WARSource: Monthly Review of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Vol. 5, No. 5 (NOVEMBER,1917), pp. 61-65Published by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of LaborStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41829215 .

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LABOR AND THE WAR.

HOURS OF LABOR IN RELATION TO OUTPUT IN BRITISH MUNITION FACTORIES.1

Memorandum No. 18 of the Health of Munition Workers' Com- mittee of Great Britain, recently received by the bureau, is a continu- ation of the study of output in relation to hours of work with which several of the earlier memoranda have been concerned.2 This report will be published in a future bulletin of the bureau. Its more im- portant findings and conclusions are shown in the following sum- mary taken from the report itself :

While the investigations described in this report are, perhaps, too limited in the types of labor investigated to permit of final deductions being drawn from them, I am not aware of the existence of any exceptional conditions which would render such deductions inapplicable to other processes and industries. For convenience I attach the following provisional summary of the results of my investigations-

(a) Observations extending over a period of 13 J months upon the output of workers employed in making fuses showed that a reduction of working hours was associated with an increase of production both relative and absolute.il The rate of production changed gradually, and did not reach an equilibrium value before the expiration of four months. Thereafter it remained steady during the period of 3$ to 5 months during which it was observed. The gradual change negatives the suggestion that the effect was a mere consequence of the desire to earn the same weekly wage as before the hours were shortened.

(b) Owing to the reduction of the working time, first by a change from a 12- hour day to a 10-hour day and subsequently by the abolition of Sunday labor, it was possible to compare output under three conditions. The group of women (numbering from 80 to 100) engaged in the moderately heavy labor of turning aluminum fuse bodies provided the following comparative results:

(i) When actually working 66.2 hours a week and nominally 74.8 hours their relative hourly production was 100 and their relative gross production 100.

(ii) When actually working 54.8 and nominally working from 58.5 to 66 hours their hourly production was 134 and their gross production 111.

(iii) When actually working 45.6 hours and nominally working from 49.5 to 58.5 hours their hourly production was 158 and their gross production 109.

It is therefore to be inferred that had these women been working uniformly a nominal 50-hour week *their gross output would have been as large as wheii 1 Health of Monition Workers Committee, Ministry of Munitions. Memorandum No.

18, Appendix to Memorandum No. 5 (Hours of Wosk). Further statistical information concerning output in relation to hours of work, with special reference to the influence of Sunday labor. April. 1917. By H. M. Vernon, M. D. 3 Memorandum No. 5, Hours of work, and Memorandum No. 12, Statistical information

concerning output in relation to hours of work, are reprinted in Bulletin Nq. 221 of the Bureau of Labor Statistics ; and Interim Report, Industrial efficiency and fatigue, is re- printed in Bulletin No. 230. 1 "» [885] 61

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62 MONTHLY REVIEW OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.

they were working a nominal 66-hour week, and considerably greater than when they were working a 77-hour week. In other words, a considerable addition to the leisure time of the operatives would have substantially improved the total output of the factory.

(c) A group of 40 women engaged in the light labor of milling a screw thread on the fuse bodies improved their gross output by 2 per cent when actually working 54.8 hours a week, the standard being their gross output when working 64.9 hours per week. A further reduction of actual working hours to 48.1 resulted in such an improvement of hourly output that the gross output was only 1 per cent less than when the actual working time was 16.8 hours more.

(d) A group of 56 men, engaged in the heavy labor of sizing the fuse bodies, improved their hourly output by 37 per cent and their gross output by 21 per cent when actually working 51.2 hours, the standards being the hourly and gross outputs observed when the actual weekly hours were 58.2.

( e ) Fifteen youths, engaged in the light labor of boring top caps by means of automatic machines, produced only 3 per cent less output when their actual weekly hours of work were 54.5 hours than when they were 72.5.

(/) In none of the operations studied was there any change either in the nature of the operation or of the type of machinery during the period under notice. The data were also so chosen as to eliminate any possible disturbances due to increasing skill. .(0) A part of the improvement in output was due to the workers starting

work more promptly when on shorter hours. At one period the women engaged in turning fuse bodies lost on the average 37 minutes daily by starting work after, and stopping before, the nominal time. Nine months later, when their hourly output was 25 per cent better, they lost only 26.5 minutes daily in these ways.

(h) A rest from work on Sunday is followed by a relatively low output on Monday, and this output steadily rises in the course of the week, owing to the increased efficiency produced by practice. Generally the cumulative effects of fatigue neutralize and overpower this increased efficiency, and the output may fall after the second day (or night) of the working week if the hours are long and the work laborious, or not till after the third, fourth, or even fifth day, if the hours are shorter. In the absence of a Sunday rest the fatigued worker has no opportunity for complete recuperation, and his output, though more uniform, remains permanently at a lower level than that shown on Monday by a worker who has rested on Sunday.

( i ) When the hourly outputs of individuals are plotted on a diagram, the distribution in the majority of operations is roughly symmetrical, persons who exceed the value reached by the largest group being about as numerous as those who fall short of it. In certain operations ("drawing" and "rectifying" cartridge cases) where the machine itself places an upper limit upon the pos- sible speed of production, thie shape of the diagram was different, the number that exceeded the output most frequently attained - what may be termed the fashionable or " modal " value - being much smaller than that which fell short of it. A corresponding result was obtained for women sorting cartridge cases, when paid at time rates ; but for similar operatives when paid at piece rates the symmetrical distribution was once more observed. It is accordingly con- tended that the form of distribution, whether approximately symmetrical or asymmetrical, may be a useful test as to the existence of limitation of output, and that in the majority of the operations here studied no such limitation occurred.

[896]

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MONTHLY REVIEW OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 63

BRITISH MUNITIONS OF WAR ACT, 1917.1

The Munitions of War Acts, 1915 ̂ nd 1916, have been amended and extended by a new act, dated August 21, 1917. The act empowers the Minister of Munitions to give such directions as he may consider necessary for the purpose of the maintenance or increase of output, with respect to the remuneration of workpeople onetime rates, em- ployed on munitions work or work in connection therewith, or work in any controlled establishment. The minister is also given power to repeal the provisions of section 7 2 of the Munitions of War Act, 1915, on being satisfied that they can be repealed consistently with the national interests- In the event of their repeal alternative provisions are to have effect, prohibiting the employment of the workmen con- cerned on work other than certaih munitions work, except with the consent of the minister; and, subject to certain exceptions, a contract of service between an employer and a workman employed on or in connection with munitions work is not to be determinable by either party except by a week's notice or on payment of a sum equal to an average week's wages under the contract.

Under another section of the new act, where an award has been made either under Part I of the Munitions of War Act, 1915. or in pursuance of an agreement between representatives of employers and workpeople, as to wages, hours, or other conditions of employ- ment of persons engaged on munitions work, and the Minister of Munitions is satisfied that the award is binding upon employers em- ploying the majority of the workpeople so engaged in any trade or branch of a trade, either generally or in a particular district, he may, by order, direct that the award shall be binding on all or any employers and persons so engaged, either without modification or subject to such modifications as he may consider necessary.

The Minister of Labor is empowered to make regulations as to the reporting of differences under section 1 of the Munitions of War Act, 1915, and with a view to preventing undue delay in negotiations for settling sueh differences, may prescribe the time within which any such difference is to be reported. Differences may also be reported henceforth by or on beh&lf of any Government department. The tribunals to which differences are referred under Schedule I of the act of 1915 are to make their awards without delay and, where prac: ticable, within 14 days of the date of reference. Piece prices, time allowances, bonuses on output, or the rates or prices payable under any other system of payment by results, once fixed in a controlled 1 Reprinted from The Labour Gazette, London, Sept, 191?, p. 314. «The section referred to prohibits the employment of a workman who, during the

previous six weeks, has been employed on or in connection with munitions work in any establishment of a class to which the section has been applied unless he holds a leaving certificate. [8W]

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64 MONTHLY BEVIEW OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.

establishment, may not be altered except in accordance with pro- cedure adopted by agreement between the owner of the establishment and the workmen or their representatives and in force at the passing of the act or, under certain conditions, by direction of the minister.

No workman employed on or in connection with munitions work may be discharged on the ground that he has joined or is a member of a trade-union or that he has taken part in any trade dispute.

EXEMPTION OF PAEM LABORERS FROM MILITARY SERVICE IN GREAT BRITAIN.1

The president of the Local Government Board has issued a circular to local and appeal tribunals regarding agricultural cases, in which lie intimates that, in view of the urgency of increased food produc- tion, the Government has made new arrangements with regard to the retention of men on the land. Agricultural executive committees have been given the right of claiming, under certain conditions, the retention of men in agriculture.

Accompanying the circular is a memorandum for the guidance of tribunals, in which it is stated that if a voucher is issued by the execu- tive committee stating that a man is employed wholly on farm work, that he was engaged in such work on June 1, 1917, and is employed on Work of national importance, he is not to be posted for service with the colors or to be called up for medical examination or reexami- nation without the consent of the committee. This provision holds good, even though a substitute may have been provided or offered. If a man engaged whole time on a particular farm on farm work changes his place of employment the previous voucher by the execu- tive committee will cease to be of effect ; but they ma}7 issue a voucher for his new employment if this is warranted. Employment "whole time on a farm on farm work " is intended to cover the production of essential food supplies, and therefore includes the work of men whose whole time is employed on a market garden exclusively in production of food of a kind and quantity of national import-ance»

Farm work covers the employment of men in agriculture as t hatchers, or as drivers of engines or motor tractors (including tractor plowmen) ; but these men taust comply with the conditions laid down if vouchers are to be issued in respect of them.

EMIGRATION FROM ITALY AFTER THE WAR. Some interesting facts and opinions are set forth in a brief article

in the Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin for October 9, 1917, with regard to the labor supply of Italy and the potential emi-

1 Christian Science Meditar, Boston, Aug. 27, 1917. [8881

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MONTHLY BEVIEW OP THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 65

gration from that country after the war. Dr. Francesco Saverio Nitti, professor of economics at the University of Naples and a mem- ber of the Italian Parliament, is quoted as saying that Italy will have more men to spare to other parts of the world than she had at the beginning of the war. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities Italy had been sending 350,000 men annually to other countries, chiefly to America. This was the number of permanent emigrants, not includ- ing those who returned after brief sojourns abroad. Dr. Nitti points out that with the cessation of this drain nearly a million men have been kept at home who would otherwise by this time have become residents of other countries. In addition to this number, 700,000 citizens have been called home from other countries. While Italy does not publish her casualty figures, the losses, though heavy, are said to be "insignificant compared to this gain in men due to the temporary stopping of emigration."

Dr. Nitti further points out that there has been no devastation within the Italian boundaries, so that there will be no great restora- tion undertakings necessary. However, the conditions in the allied countries of France and Belgium are very different, and will offer fields of employment " where the need will be tremèndous, and wages, no doubt, the most attractive that the world will have to offer. You must remember that France and Belgium saved nothing in man- power by the stopping of emigration, because there was practically no emigration from those countries to stop. On the other hand, their losses by warfare are very heavy, and they have been invaded." From these facts the conclusion is reached that there will be little emigration to America, which, in past years, has been the chief des- tination of Italians seeking other places of residence.

Speaking of the economic situation, the opinion is expressed that this will be improved rather than adversely affected by the war. Essential industries are being maintained, the mistake of drawing men therefrom for the army having been corrected soon after the beginning of the war. Of the labor situation as it now stands, Dr. Nitti says:

In a way every man in Italy is a soldier, whether he is under arms or not. Our munitions works and transportation systems, for example, are all under full military discipline, and every man employed in such industry is rated as a soldier. But he gets the pay of a mechanic that prevails in that industry, which is very high just now, almost fantastically so for Italy.

We have had no strikes, no labor troubles of any sort since the war began, and we do not fear any. I would like particularly, in that connection, to say a word of praise for our railroad men, even those of them who in the past caused much of our labor troubles. They are all soldiers and practically all of their work is military, for two-thirds of Italian rolling stock is devoted to transportation of troops and munitions, but these railroad men have done their full share.

18988° - 17 5 [880] 1 7 ★

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