The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-10-08
'HO|N TWO SHRElVDl NOMEN'
WORKED A. FACTORIES:
Object Was To Get Practical
Information on Labor
Question for Women:
Awful Story of the Conditions
and Surroundings in
Southern Factories.

1.-THE wowan Who Tolls" This is
the title to a publication written by
who, to acquire thoroughly reliable in
formation, applied for work in divers
factories throughout the United, States,
carefully avoiding everything that
could betray their purpose and striv-
ing to gain a varied experience by
working at as many trades as prac-
ticable. The better to gauge the ef-
fects which such tolls and surround
ings must produce on the average girl
In some Of our factories, they lived on
what they earned and carried with
them only few extra dollars to fall
back on in case of urgent need.
Mrs. Van Worst first applied for
work in a public factory at Pittsburg,
Pa. She thus records the work OF the
first day: II have stood for ten hours;
l have fitted 1900 corks; I have hauled
and loaded 1000 jars Of pickles. My
pay is 70 cents" Her dinner consisted
Of two fried oysters, two preserve
sandwiches, pickle and an orange
This is the average midday meal Of
your home?" she asked a girl. I'VE
don't have no homes" was the answer
I'VE must get up and get whenever
they send us along"
The keenest grief that young women
can feel is experienced there II sup
pose am not the only one in trouble"
said one of the young girls to her. II
have thought a thousand times over
that would kill myself. I supposed
l loved him; but I hate him now"
Mrs. Van Worst corked pickles for
about a week and then labored at
piecework in the bottling department,
and next in a kitchen where meals are
prepared for about 200 men.
On Saturday afternoon one or two
missionaries come to speak to the toll
ers, but their conversation is too alb
stract for U.S." she writes. Most Of
the girls 90 to dances on Saturday
night; to church on Sunday evening
with some young man. In all they say
there ls not word of value. They
have none OF the sagaciousness of the
low-born italian, none of the wit and
penetration OF the French ouviere"
The daughter, Miss Maria Van Worst,
worked for a while In a boot factory,
but her best information was gathered
In the cotton mills Of Columbia, S. G.
In that esta blishment the conditions
are best characterized by the term
white slavery" The mill in which
she first labored is called Excelsior.
1t employees from 1900 to 5000 laborers.
1t is built on a tract Of dry sand; near
it is the village occupied by the work
hands, and which Miss Van Worst des-
scribes as follows: Plague is not too
strong word to apply to the pest
ridden, epidemic filled and filthy set
Element where the millhand r. lives,
moves and has his being; horrible
honeycomb of lives, shocking morals
and indecency."
'The workmen, imported affair
through extravagant inducements by
agents, are all strangers to each other
and OF different nationanties. The air
in the mill is frightful, the floating
particles Of cotton is continual. AS a.
remedy all the employees use snuff
even the youngest children; their
mouths are brown with it; their
tongues black. The threats Of many
become incurably diseased; pneumonia
Is almost an epidemic. Unwashed little
children. clad In dirty rags, the same
clothing in winter and summer, are
driven to the mills for thirteen hours
OF toll, so weary that they fall asleep
at intervals of labor. They have no
childhood, no schooling, no play, and
know only sin and misery. The drink
Ang water breeds fever; "a horrible
stencil pervades the district; there are
no schools
and oppression. No doubt such condt-
tons do not exist to quite such an
alarming extent in the North, but is 1t
not too bad that it should exist any,
where in these free United States, the
richest country on earth? And even
tn the North We know that similar. if
not equal, scenes of oppression and
restitution are not infrequent- To pre-
vent the spread Of these conditions,
which seem to be the aims Of those
who are striving for the "open-shop'
policy, we must not hide these wrongs
of capitalists. Eevery newspaper that
claims to be working for the interests
of the whole people should give the
widest publicity to eli such and SINH
lar acts. We must hold them up to
reprobation, and we must stir up the
country to put them down by wise
legislation, requiring sanitary regula-
tions, the strict prohibition of child
labor, the lessening of: the number Of
laboring hours, especially for girls and
women, supervision to be exercised
over all factories to remove and pre-
vent such deplorable conditions as this
book reveals to the observation-disclosures
Leader