Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-16
"PAUPER LABOR"
More Interesting Testim ony Given Before
the Immigration Investigating Commit

More Interesting Testimony Given Before
the immigration Investigating Commit
tee.
New YORK, Aug. 9.-When the Im-ni-
grafton Investigation Committee met yes
terday. Mary Berg, who for six years past
had worked for Herman Berg, a flannel
shirt maker ON East Forty first street,
said that when she went there POO girls
were employed working on foot machines
About year ago steam was put in and
forty or fifty Russians and Poles were en-
ployed, taking the places of the majority
of the girls. Previous to the employment
of the foreigners, the girls made from Sc to
IS a week, now they could only make 80 a
week. She had known married men to
take the places of the girls and work for
81 week. She heard the proprietor ask
one of the foreigners employed there if
he could not get him more of his country
men and he told him he could, but
would have to send to, Europe for
them. Berg told him to send and get all
he could. There had been a continual re-
duction in wages since the foreigners had
entered the factory. She left there this
week on account of a reduction in the
scale of wages. She declared that shirt
that was made for 60 cents III 1884 was now
made for 40 cents and one that was then
made for 81 was now made for 81 Many
of these Russians and Poles worked here
and saved money, then went home and
spent it and returned again to make more.
She knew one man who saved $500 here
and went home, where he invested it in
business and lost it. He repeated the ex-
pertinent and was now back here for the
third time and working for 81 week in
place of girls who had been discharged.
Mrs. Helen Aukner then took the stand.
She was employed in making rubber goods.
About year ago she did some work at
making white goods for the purpose of in
Vestigating the rate of wages paid and the
condition of those engaged in it. She
found that an expert could not earn - a
week. The average was about IS, while
ten years ago they could make SO a week.
She ascribed this solely to the giving out
of the work to contractors. These con-
tractors, she said, were Russian and Polish
Jews, who took the work home The work
was not so we'll done by these contractors
as it was formerly by the girls, but the
manufacturers saved large sums in rent
and other ways. Witness never found q
person who worked for a contractor who
made - week. She had carefully inves-
tigated the habits of these fol eign laborers
and gave it as her opinion that they were
not only filthy and immoral in their mode
of life, but their example was calculated
to contaminate Americans who had to mix
with them more or less. She described the
sights as most revolving.
DR.. Charles HcSe, secretary CT the State
Board of Charities, was sworn. He said
the proportion OF foreign paupers in this
State was forty times that of native
paupers. He had particulars of hundreds
of cases which were assisted to this coun-
try. The Canadian people did not want
these people and as fast as they landed
there sent them over here. Witness did
not think any other State felt the effect OF
this evil so much as New York in proper
tion to it's population, but he thought Mich
igan was beginning to feel it and would
feel it more.