AND ON THE CONTINENT.

13

In this way Macculloch (29) explains the higher wages of America ,of England , and of Holland as by no means an economical disad-vantage compared with the lower wages of the Irish, Poles, andHindoos. The difference was more than balanced by greaterindustry and increase in the amount of work done. Senior saysthe same thing—in spite of lower wages the price of labour wasdearer in France than in England (30). Rau and Reseller are ofthe same opinion (31). The last-mentioned author supports it withan abundance of interesting experiences, gained in all countries.

We find a similar change of theory respecting the hours oflabour. Whilst formerly the use of machinery as long as possiblewas considered desirable, and every reduction of the hours oflabour was looked upon as a loss, later on the economical advan-tages of a gradual curtailment of the hours of labour were generallyrecognised. Especially well known is the change which the viewsof Senior underwent in this direction. Whilst he had declared, inhis “Letters concerning the Factory Acts of 1837,” the reductionof the hours of labour from twelve to ten would ruin the cottonindustry, because just in the last two hours was the employers’profit realised, he withdrew this teaching in 1863, at the Congressof Social Science, in Edinburgh , as erroneous, and recommendedthe extension of the ten-hours law to a number of other industries.

The views of Macaulay changed in a similar manner. Formerlyan opponent of the Factory Acts, he made, later, a brilliant speechin defence of the ten-hours law. He closed this speech with thesememorable words, since so often quoted: “ If we are ever com-pelled to retire from the paramount position amongst tradingnations we shall not give way to a race of degenerated dwarfs, butto some other strong nation excelling us in physique and genius ”—referring to the then extreme hours of labour of some German factories and the quoted bad results of recruiting in German indus-trial districts.

German national economists agree with the English . Accordingto Emminghaus (32), for instance, the shortening of the hours oflabour means in no wise always an economical disadvantage ; fre-

29. “ Principles of Political Economy,” 2nd edition (London, 1830), p. 397.

30. “ Political Economy,” 5th edition (London. 1863), p. 143.

31. Rau: “ Yolkswirtschaftslehre,”par. 201a; Roscher : “ Volkswirtschafts-lehre,” I., par. 40, par. 173.

32. A. Emminghaus : “Allgemeine Gewerkslehre ’’(Berlin, 1868), pp.78-90.