How Long?

The parable of Jesus concerning the importunate widow and the unrighteous judge is quoted by opponents of the twelve-hour day in the steel mills as illustrating the dealings between the churches and Judge Gary.

The churches condemn the long day as inhuman and "contrary to Christianity." The judge upholds it as human enough and necessary to the industry.

At the recent convention of the Iron and Steel Institute, moreover, Judge Gary, having approved the findings of a commission which upheld the twelve-hour day, delivered a homily on the necessity of religion for the working world. (TIME, June 4.) Last week the National Catholic Welfare Council (headed by Father Ryan), the federal Council of Churches (presided over by Robert E. Speer), and the Central Conference of Jewish Rabbis disregarded creeds and united in issuing a statement condemning utterly the "twelve-hour homily" of Judge Gary and the findings of the Iron and Steel Institute's commission. These bodies, representing the Catholic Church, every large Protestant Church and most of its 248 minor denominations, and the Jewish Synagogues, have a total membership of over 50,000,000.

As far back as 1912 a committee headed by the late Stuyvesant Fish reported in favor of reducing the number of hours. In 1921 Judge Gary said: " We expect to make the elimination of the twelve-hour day complete during the next year." But the recent adverse report of the Iron and Steel Institute, according to the protest of the indignant churches, "shatters public confidence."

After an analysis of the findings of the committee, the churches declare than an attempted justification is made on grounds of economic necessity, the shortage of labor and the fact that a shorter shift would force up the price of steel. The strongest argument of the churches is that economic laws "cannot demand an equal position with the laws of justice." The protest concludes: "A further report is due from the Iron and Steel Institute -a report of a very different tenor." How soon the "report of a different tenor" will be issued Is unknown. Meanwhile the cry goes up: "How long, O Lord?"