The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-03
THE SIGNED CONTRACT
Most Profitable Kind of Litera-
ture for Workers.
A GOOD STORY WITH A MORAL
How a Shop of Ruttonhole Workers
Solved a Problem-Gr!s Got Fair
Treatment When They Practieed
Concentrated Effort

Treatment When They Practiced
Concentrated Effort
The hand buttonhoie makers and
finishers We're leaning toward the
grimy windows of the childrcn's jack
cts shop for the last OF The quickly
fading daylight. Through the sitting
ctf'uvium of bad plumbing, rott ing
wall paper. escaping fuel gas and cxu-
hations Of undcrvashcd and over
crowded humanity rose the puugcnt
odor of boiling coffee.
Il hope I won't be long in this shop"
said Il deep eyed Russian girl pushin.
aside her stack of little Buster Brown
coats 10 make room on the table for
her cup. Il expect to take up litcra-
turc and journalism soon.'
Expect 20 better yourself at that
asked Il middle aged American woman
who was chccrily dispensing coffee
For myself it is nothing. But that
III" world should know how the work.
ing Glasses struggle and starvc under
tn" present system"
Pass the sugar on to Graziclla
She's starving under Your nose
laughed the American. Then as her
fellow workers shifted their cralnpcd
positions to parlakc Of her welcome
treat she continued:
Il guess the world is on to the way
We struggle and starvc already as
much rs they'll ever get to be from
reading about il. Ana what's more,
The world will stand for it as long as
al
go right on rushing till . o'clock every
night, busy season. sos to bring on
slack season that much quicker AS
long rs We sit gaping at those kids
carrying off home work on their heads
don't know how We expect he world
to do any different"
''Sh-h. said the Russian girl as tho
foreman approached With n pile OF
'tiniShcd' work on his arm and Il low
cring Scowl on his forehead.
You expect the examiner to pass
such g"odS:' he exclaimed cXcitcdly.
pointing out jagged stitches and fray
inE seams on coat after coat as he
lnng them on the table:
The Russian girl began to rip her
returned work in Sullcn silence. while
the man lit the gas. with anything but
complimentary comment upon her
skin. After be had got well out OF
hearing She broke forth Historically:
1--WE are slaves! We shall work
twelve hours Il day To pay the land
lord nothing else. We must work
fast as machines. and If one It'll.
stitch Is not just we can lose ON,
time ripping. IF we say one word out
we 90 int" tho street We breathe
poison. What can we ,lo:''
''Nnw you're Slouiin-:' iutcrtllutr,l
the American. ''fnu'vc struck the
point. What can We do: What's the
answer: u" You want tn,know: We'll.
YOU ask the cutters. They didn't cot
their ton hours and scale of prices by
writing iiicrIl ire or journalism They
got it being skilled cutters that were
needed in tho jacket business and then
laying down h" hours ana prices they
would stand for. Ii's up to us to put
mp the Kind OF sewing they can't cot
from every new Immigrant that lands
AT Governors Island and then got ,h.
cutters t" stand by us FOR what's COM
ing 10 US What can we do: We cam
ret Il c"iitrhct. that's what. Thcu We'll
know where we're :Ie."
When the next busy season opened
in Tho Jacket trade Il flushed little
1nihdl" aged American hand hut ton
n"lc maker came out OF the office Of
llcr shop. followed by two trembling
Young ''fniShcrs' and four stnlwnrt
Oil "clt1ers.' Her fellow workers
awaited her eagerly in their accusto
cd places around the table. aud as she
hnplonched Il deep eyed Russian cir!
asked:
"Nen. and what do our masters
say"
The littie American waved A paper
Ii1lnlphantly ovcr her head
"ThcT signed it O. k she cried
l"Niui!N. Md as she looked about
upon 'hcir surprised and radiant faces
sue added, emphasizing every word:
Tie best kind of literature and
journalism for working people to take
up Is signed contracts. ''-Ciertrudc Bar
mum in Chicago Tribune