The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-12
THE SIGNED CONTRACT.
Most Profitable Kind Of Literature for
Workers.

Workers.
The hand buttonhole makers and
ilnishers were leaning toward tho
grlmy windows Of the ehlldren's jack
etu shop for the last Of the quickly
fading daylight. Through the sliding
efiiuvium OF bad plumbing, rotting
wall paper. escaping fuel gas aud exu-
dations OF underwashed and over
crowded humanity rose the pungent
odor of boiling coffee.
II hope won't be long in this shop"
said deep eyed Russian girl, pushing
aside her stack Of little Buster Brown
coats TO make room on the table for
her cup. ~ expect TO take up litera-
turc and Journalism soon"
Expect to better yourself at that"
asked middle aged American woman
who was cheerlly dispensing coffee.
"For myself Il is nothing. But that
the world should know how the work
ing classes struggle and starve under
the present system"
Pass the sugar on to Grazlella.
She's starving under your nose"
laughed the American. Then as her
fellow workers shifted their cramped
positions to partake of her welcome
treat she continued;
II guess the world is on to the way
we struggle and starve already as
much as they'll ever get to be from
reading about II. And what's more.
the world will stand for It as long as
we will. For all they care we can
90 right on rushing till o'clock every
night, busy season, SOS 10 bring on
slack season that much quicker. AS
long as we sit gaping at those kids
carrying OF home work on their heads
don't know. how we expect the world
to do any different"
"sh-hF' said the Russian girl as the
foreman approached with a pile OF
finished" work on his arm and low
ering scowl on his forehead
"You expect the examiner to pass
such goods?' he exclaimed excitedly,
pointing out jagged stitches and fray
ing seams on coat after coat as he
flung them on the table.
The Russian girl began to rip her
returned work In sullen silence, while
the man lit the gas. with anything but
complimentary comment upon her
skill. After he had got well out Of
hearing she broke forth Historically:
I'VE are slaves! We shall work
twelve hours day to pay the land
lord-nothlng else We must work
fast as machines, and II one little
stitch is not just 50 we can lose our
time ripping. IL we say one word out
we go into the street. We breathe
poison. What can we do?"
NOW you're shoutingF interrupted
the American. you've struck the
point. What can we dor What's the
answer? DO you want to know? Wen,
you ask the cutters They didn't get
their ten hours and scale of prices by
writing literature or Journalism. They
got 1t being skilled cutters that were
needed in the jacket business and then
laying down the hours and prices they
would stand for. It's up TO US TO put
up the kind Of sewing they can't get
from every new immigrant that lands
at Governors Island and then get the
cutters to stand by us for what's COM
ing 10 us. What can we do? We can
get contract, that's what Then wen
know where we're at"
When the next busy season opened
In the jacket trade flushed little,
middle aged American hand button
hole maker came out Of the Office OF
her shop. followed by two trembling
young "hnishsrs" and four stalwart
old cutters" Her fellow workers
awaited her eagerly In their accustom-
ed places around the table, and as she
approached deep eyed Russian girl
asked:
well. and what do our masters
say7"
The little American waved paper
triumphantly over her head.
They signed 1t 0. K.t" she cried
joyfully. And as she looked about
upon their surprised and radiant faces
she added, emphasizing every word;
1.-THE best kind OF literature and
Journalism for working people to take
mp is signed contracts."-Gertru Bar
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