The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-07

ing. With regard to the landed prop
erty," said one of my informants. a
literary man, we are in the condi-
ton of France before her revolution"
With regard to child labor" said a
public-spirited employer. I'VE are in
the position of England prior 10 $780,
With regard to social REFORM" said
a radical. Hungary is in the general
condition that Germany was when
Marx made his outcry against the star
vation OF the proletariat and tried 10
forecast the economic methods of a
better future"
The government seems to have no
clear policy for bringing the country
up to modern standards. "A million
HungarianS are in America" one man
told us. and their going has helped
the masses but little. The millions OF
crowns sent home yearly by the emf
grants find their way to the enrich
ment of the classes already having
possessions, for the poor to whom the
money is sent have to part with it in
buying h neceSSarieS of life"
The trade unions have now a policy,
fully adopted last year. in advance of
their previous ideas. They have re-
solved to keep the partisan political
movement entirely apart from the
union movement, which is to be con-
Quoted by men working at their trades.
Two attempts at general strikes, the
first IN some respects partly success
full. the second a dismal failure, have
convinced the leaders of the necessity
for providing well beforehand for pos
sibly successful limited strikes. The
new Hungarian trade union movement
may even help the American move
ment. Heretofore u~nOrganized Hun
garian miners and cigarmakers have
gone to the United States in large
numbers as strike Efforts
are now being made to organize these
workers and II nrONP their conditions
at home.
In politics, live parties hav mem
bers in the Reichsrath. Ill five are
opposed to u.s." said one of the work
ingmen. The Social Democratic party
has not a single member. But. by
some name, the working people in
tend to be represented, though the
conditions Of suffrage are worse now
than ten years ago" When on a train
our party was passing a penitentiary
this man said, pointing to it: In that
building are robbers, murderers, and
socialists Well, what American ami
mated by the spirit of 20 would not
qualify himself quickly for prison in
such a country as Hungary-and do it
under n name of Socialist, if neces-
sary?
The facts which l have recorded in
tnlS letter were not obtained from
some -'perverted' mind. rendered so
by prejudice, hatred or revenge. Most
OF the oral communicated
to me came from a legal practitioner
OF high standing in the community a
representative of an association of an
plOyers in one Of the leading indus
tries of the country. These facts were
supplemented by a large employer Of
labor and the foremost intelligent and
trustworthy labor men of Hungary.
Added to these are results of my own
VlSlOnal observations and of inquiries
made of the workers themselves.
Perhaps an impression Of existing
housing conditions may be obtained
from the statement of one fact. The
government some time ago decided to
build a number Of working class tene-
ments. Some of these houses are in
course of construction !. The apart
ments are to consist of one room and
kitchen-the room about 7x10 feet,
h kitchen about 5x1O. The reader
can imagine what the home life of the
workers must now be when the gov
ernn1ent's modern and model dwell
ingS are to consist of such cramped.
insufficient quarters.
SAMUEL GOMPERS.