The herald., 1895-01-12
WORK FOR THEIR BOARD.
A Laundry Has Already Been Put in
Operation.
Lands to Be Titled. Oranges to BE
Picked and Work to Be
Given Those Who
Want It.

bolVeO tno puzzle Oh Wnat 10 90 Win Tie
men and women who want to work,
want to live without charity. or have
they added one moro failure to the long
list OF experiments that have been made
in the direction OF supplying work, food
and shelter to those unable to obtain it
by individual exertion7 7"
The speaker was j. @. Murray, assist
ant manager OF the Now Era Co-opsra-
tive laundry. which was started day
or two ago in the buildings comprising
what lie known as the old City gardens.
at Eighth and San Pedro streets. In q
house ct his right, through the open
windows, dozen men and women could
be seen bending over ironing tables.
In another building to tho left were
eeven or eight men working clothes.
washers or turning wringers. Scattered
over tho two acres of ground, around
about the houses, were . half-dozen men
chopping down trees, pulling up weeds
and clearing the ground, while in the
back of the lot q number of men were
hanging out clothes on wires stretched
for the purpose. Every body was busy
and all seemed oontented.
THE LAUNDRY.
"This laundry was started two weeks
ago." said Mr.. Murray, ION the princi-
pie that God helps those who help
Themselves The idea ID not our own,
but originated in the New Era church,
AID this laundry 10 but one of the many
blocks with which We hope to build the
mosaic that will be the monument to
the plan OF salvation for the unem-
p ployed. Some weeks ago Lecturer Bow
man Of the New Era church conceived
the idea OF gathering together the men
and women in Los Angeles, who wanted
to work. who had trades, bnt who have
been unable to find employment at any
thing and were in want Of food II but
who, although hungry, did not want to
beg. The plan was to take these people
and divide them up into trades 9 nearly
as possible, and try and arrange 30 that
they could work for their board and
lodging, ii nothing else, but to put every
enterprise ON a cooperative basis, 80
that If any money was made over and
above the amount required to feed and
shelter the workmen, the surplus should
be equally divided between them all.
ORGANIZATION OF THE EXCHANGE.
"Twensy.four hours sufficsd to bring
1927 men and women into the new organ
ization. All of them had tried for work
day after day. week after week and
month after month. only to meet with
disappointment. They wore all willing
TODD anything. and work, for the time
being. for their board and lodging.
''All who applied were received.
"'Msn shall earn his bread by the
sweat of his brow was the only creed.
''The first thing done WAS to segregate
the applicants into trades. II was found
that there were more lsundyymen and
women. expert starchers and ironers,
etc., idle than of any other class. It
was at once determined to start lsun-
dry. A committee went around among
the business mon and families with this
proposition:
"'Will you advance us money or pro.
visions or tools with which to start q
laundry on the cooperative plan, We
agreeing to pay the money back or pay
for the goods in time unless you are
willing to take out the amount of the
debt in washing. In other words, will
you help us help oufnslvsn?'"
"The reply wss all We could ask"
continued Mr.. Murray. "We collected
$50 in cash, got soap. starch. blueing,
groceries on credit, secured the loan of
washing mschines. and then we leased
these grounds for year and started our
laundry. While our committee Was out
getting materials for the laundry to work
with another committee WAS busy So
: Letting washing. We asked no fsvors,
but said to the people our prices are
less than other laundries and il we do
not do as good work, then we no longer
ask for your patronage
ION this Dasis We started with go
customers, putting to work IA men and
women. All the workers In the laun.
dry get 10 their board and lodging, un-
less our business increases; if il does
We will put more people to work. lam
an old laundryman and claim that to.
day we are doing the best work in the
city. II we don't succeed it will be be.
cause the people Of Los Angeles don't
want to help the unemployed to earn
living. Our work will compare with
any body's and the only chemicals we
use in getting the clothes clean 10
MUSCLE"
In addition to the people who were
employed in washing. starchIng and
ironing clothes, there were q half dozen
men at work chopping down dead trees
and clearing up the two acres of ground
comprised 10 the lease. As soon as the
ground is cleared it 10 to be planted to
vegetables and men set to work as gar.
deners.
. n DEVELOPING PLUMs.
Committees are at work trying to Sc
cure from orange growers and associa-
tions contracts for picking the entire
crop. The contracts specify that the
New Era Cooperative association will
not ask for psy until the contract is
completed.
Thoes at the head Of the new move.