The San Francisco call., 1908-04-26
How Mil Hands Fare in the Textile
Industry Centers of Germany

winter from 8 to $3.50 a. m, from noon
to / p. m., and from to 4:30 p. m.
According to the law, mills must per-
nit female operatives over 16 years of
age who have a household TO care for
TO leave. at their own request, a half.
hour before the midday interval, pro-
vided that there is not allowed at least
an hour and a half as the regular din
ner hour. During the recesses the ma.
chimes will be stopped Young opera
tiYes are not allowed to remain in the.
working rooms. They have to retire to
a specially assigned room, If they do
not go outdoors. The bringing of food
and drink is only permitted during the
prescribed periods Of rest. Female
operatives must not be kept at work
after $50 p. m. on Saturdays or ION
the day before holidays. For adult
female operatives the afternoon recess
on such days is to be omitted.
Female operatives may. not be en-
ployed IN the mills from $3.50 o. M to
$50 a. M, and on Saturdays and the
days preceding holidays not after $50
operative over Is years of a ge must not
exceed a total of II hours daily, and,
on Saturdays and the days before holi-
days may not exceed 10 hours.
= Children over 13 years of age must
not be employed at all in mills: chill
dren over ! 3 years of age may only be
employed. If they are not obliged longer
10 attend public school. The employ
ment of children under Il years must
not exceed six hours daily. Young peo-
pie between Il and Is years of age
must not be kept at work in the fac
tories more than 10 hours a day The
work hours of young operatives must
not begin before 80 a. M. and must |
not continue later than $40 p. M
Young operatives who work only six
hours day must have a rest of at
least a half hour. Other youthful
operatives must have at least one hour |
at noon and half hour each in the
morning and afternoon On SUNDAYS
and holidays young operatives must not
oe employed at all or at those hours |
which their clergymen have set apart
for the religious instruction of such
operatives.
Operatives under IT, years of age.
who are obliged to attend compulsory
school courses at certain times dnTi,, .
tne week, will receive the necessary
u ilbeEty, but they must state their school |
hours IN advance at the office of the
mill. % 'ne
The families of the working people
are rarely small. and it is not infre- |
queht TO ind a man and his wife and
several children subsisting on 1881 a !
h.
lhs' FOOD fuel and other necessaries |
nave TO be paid. In many instances
however the wife is also wage earnerl
as wen as the man, and the children go |
70 work as soon as possible Such fam
mes usually live in a kitchen and one |
other room There the family cooks. !
eats ana sleeps The rent for such an |
Z partment is rarely less than 10 marks |
tS2-3s1 month, the general price helms
q DOUt - marks /
operatives are better placed and have |
thelr own small dwelling in the suburbs |
with garden attached. 1t may be re-
marked that on Sundays or HOLIDAYS |
When enjoying an outing the opera
tiFes always appear well and comfort !
amy dressed ragged or barefooted |
person is most unusual sight
Food is of necessity quite simple. |
one person thoroughly acquainted with |
the life and conditions of operatives
mere says that the principal nourish- |
ment OF the weavers. consists of pota- |
toes and salt bread and so called pep |
Per soup. made of water, bread. little
TAT and plenty of pepper. Meat is sell
dom eaten, and when indulged in is |
usually in a form of soup meat or sau-
sage Operatives generally eat five |
times day and rye bread is nearly al |
ways taken. The first breakfast con- t
sists of coffee, made chiefly of roasted |
grain. and a piece of bread or roll /
Sometimes bowl of hot water with a
little -four stirred in is taken instead /
of coffee. The dinner is at midday. Il
The morning. afternoon and evening H
meals are much lighter. and in them H
beer often occupies a place
The operatives are exerting them II
selves to better their condition and they Il
have sympathizers here in all classes of Il
society, not excluding many mill own
ers.