Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-14
FOUR DAYS A WEEK
Cause of Many Applications al
 Charity Department

Whether the trouble is due to hard times or some other causes does not appear on the surface, but in any case Waterbury men keep leaving their wives and families right along and as result the department of charities often has an applicant for aid that never expected to rap at lanybody's door and ask little bread. One morning during the pres ent week two or three such cases had to be dealt with and such things are by no means unusual. While 1t is safe to conclude that all such absconding husbands are good for nothings, still 1t might be well to re- member that this is very dull sea- son in Waterbury, although some don't think so. It is almost out of the question to make some folks be- lieve that there is such thing as hunger until they feel its bangs themselves and in a like manner many laugh at the idea of dull times 80 long as they have all the work they can swing Into.
 But what's the use discussing this question when the bare fact will suf- fee. During the past month or so some of the big factories have been running short time and as the aver age man does not receive very fat envelope when he has six days pay in 1t, one can imagine what it looks like when 1t is short day or two each week. At four days week the average wages earned by common help does not exceed $6. Come, now you fellows who never tire talking about the good times we are having in this country and wondering if they will continue indefinitely. get out your pencils and see what head way you could make on six dollars a week and maintain family. Whats the reason MT Lilley or any of the other great men who come forward so often and declaim efoquently about prosperity never bestow a thought upon a question of this kind? Now and then you hear that this man and that man who is earn ing $10 or $15 week can't get along on 1t, but you rarely If ever hear a whimper about the unfortu- nate wretch who is toiling for miserable pittance of $6. This is no ghost story. Benedict & Burnhanl's have not worked over four days a week in several weeks and the same is true of other concerns, and not withstanding this after few weeks more the politicians will be on the stump telling everybody how fortu- nate the American laborer is and how thankful he ought to be to the party of good wages, steady em- ployment and all around prosperity. In a word a full dinner pail all the time. It would be interesting to hear some cs these jokers tell how many dinner pails one can fill out of $6 a week and anywhere from S10 to SIP a month for tenement. and you cant get anything fit to live in for less than that.
 When all these things are taken into account it is no easy matter to tell what prompts a man to skip the town: He can't earn any more than maintains himself and when he sees no prospect of doing better who knows but he makes up his mind that 1t is better for him to dig out and thus put his wife in a position to qualify as person entitled to as- sistance and in this way give her an opportunity to get enough to keep the wolf from the door. It Is too bad that this should be so but so long as 1t is what's the use trying to have the public believe that If a man is not prosperous and happy the fault rests with himself.