The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1905-11-13

d
Paines store for even twice S2.42 week
MIR. Miller was Gnite correct i'll saying that
If we are to hold our relative position among
the cities OF the west, we must rouse ourselves
| immediately. The Wageworker reiterates
| and emphasizes that declaration. 1t is ready
to do its best-as little as that best may be
to help the Commercial club in its campaign
| for d greater Lincoln. But it will not lend it's
aid to a campaign that has for its object the
securing of factories that employ women and
girls at average wage" of $500 week
| for ffty-nne hours work, and which draw
/ checks for $2.42 to pay for wonan's work
| for an entire week. Such factories may make
a city in point of population, but it will also
| make city in point of misery squalor, desti-
tuition, woe, want and misery. Better remain
a city of universities and churches for thou
sand years to come, than to become city OF
sweat shops.
The Wageworker calls attention to the fac
si1nile of wage check issued last week by
the Lincoln Overall and Shirt Co. The orig
na of this fac-simile is in the possession OF
| The Wageworkers editor. That check rep
| resents weeks work Of this new industrial,
institution that means much for the indus
trial future OF Lincoln. Think of it, Q, we fa-
theirs and mothers whose children may sooner
later be forced into one OF the "benefcent in
dustrial institutions to work whole week
| for the munfcent wage of So.
90, she was a slow worker. you say. Some
of the employees make as high as $40 or $11 n
week
Granted. But if the swift operators can
make $40 week, and the average is $500 a
week, in Gods name how can the average
worker exist OH the wage they must receive?
20. but she was young and inexperienced
girl. YOU say. s.#.,-r~-
That's where you guess wrong. The one to
| whom this check was issued is a woman. She
is married woman, too and sought employ
| rnent because she needed it.
President Smell of the company says some
Of the employees make high S11 week.
Manager Jones says the average is $500. Fig
ure it out for yourself. Add $11 and S2.4 and
the average is $6.71.
President Paul Morton Of the Equitable gets
$4,000 year, and clerk in the same office
gets S720 year. The average salary is there
fore S45.s6O-but the clerk doesn't gain any
| thing by it.
A professor in a law school once told his
class story about a squirrel 1t was good
story He told how the squirrel came out to
| hunt up its winter supply of food. He described
the woods, the harvest of nuts, the apparel of
the hunter who securing the woods, and
threw in a lot of flowers of speech and then
wound up the story. Immediately members of
the class began plying him with questions.
How oil was the hunter?' 'What kind of
gun did he have?' "What kind of nuts grew i'll
thus the questions came. Finally one student
asked: What became of the squirre?"
f. The Wageworker wants you to keep your
| eye the squirrel. and not be mis1ed by talk
| OF average wages and 'fast workmanship.
Here is a factory that is dedicated by prayer
to the Heavenly Father who marks the spar.
| rows fall-and one working woman employed
| therein receives check for So. AZ for weeks
work.
| Keep your eye the squirrel"
| Here is business institution managed by
man who is foremost in promoting great re-
| lgious works-and his business institution re-
| m1nerates woman for weeks work by Civ
| ing her check for s.. .42.
Keep your eye the SQUIRREL!
Here is business institution that asked
| the citizens of Lincoln to to its rescue
| when it had fire because it such big
| thing for Lincoln, and it draws check for
| S2.42 to pay for weeks work its madly
| rushing machines.
! Keep your eye the squirre!'
Here is manufacturing concern which is
! pointed to as sample of what Lincoln needs
| to make it great city-and check for $2.42
| is handed out as pay for weeks work in that
| factory.
Keep your eye on the squirrel!'
1T is the presence of such houses as this one
| that distinguish the city from the country
town. said Mayor Brown, who probably knew
absolutely nothing about the wage scale in
| the factory And factory that gives check
| for $2.42 is pointed out blessing to the city.
Keep your eye on the squirrel!'
| 1t is all right to talk about Lncolns need
of factories 1t is all right to tell about the
necessity of providing employment for people
! before we hope to make Lincoln large
and prosperous city.
But keep your eye on the squirrel!'
/! The squirrel" in Lincolns case is the wage
| question Do we want here in Lincoln the
sweat shop system? Do we want factories
that pay starvation wageso Do we want fac
tories that prey upon the necessities of those
! who are forced to toll? Do want fac
tories that not only crush down wages here i'll
| Lincoln but force competition to do the
in other cites-in this manner throwing the.
whole burden upon the shoulders of women