The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-17

the little people: therefore their absence
is noted. Away down South there are lots
of little fellows in the country regions
of Alabama. for instance. but the little
men are bothersome to transfer 70 the
cards, for they help on the home farm.
even il only ten years old, and are listed
as ia5orers and wage earners and go
ing to school and many other things Civ
ing them the Importance Of twenty-three
punches. The easiest Of all subjects is
the American wife who is not gainfui.
She is considered a sperfect lady by
the puncher, who can make Up on her
for time wasted looking for occupations
that are not found. Next to the perfect
ladies, the colored people stand for SIM
pie punching, as they seem TO be the
true Americans in point Of native for
bears-one colored man was called black
with an Irish father and Spanish mother.
but the matter was referred TO the desk
and the psrentage not punched. which did
not elucidate matters and took fifteen
minutes Another funny happening WIS
the nativity of twin boys, one born in
Kansas and one in Kentucky.
There is not much honor In the work.
as there is so much uncertainty as 10
how the occupations will turn out when
the verifers begin work by probably
different standard 10 that given the
clerks, but the names OF some of the
works OF man are a liberal education.
How many of us ever knew there was
f.
in a hosiery mill, or heard Of a turner In
the same place. Coremakers are not so
unusual, but a stableman in an under
taking parlor is certainly novel.
One statement officially made is unfair
in calling the clerks on the machine
green hands. Many Of them served
| through three censuses. one being the Gu
ban, which was considered so difficult, with
nineteen entries to the subject. that &C
cents for each hundred cards was paid.
This time the price Of % cents a hundred
| is given for about thirty fields 10 punch
10 each name. All the ladies are ex-
| perfenced workers and they are puzzled
to see the impossibility Of maintaining a
better rate of speed than a hundred an
hour. The answer must be in the time
lost over the occupation and parentage,
| and the number of things TO enter on
each card. and some say the short cus
the government is making 10 have the
cards divided into male and female as
the puncher takes them of the machine
This was never done before. but TIE cards
/ were sorted out by plan called hand
sorting, IN which an entire division
worked for weeks
The new machines which were TO have
taken the place OF the one described
above have an arrangement for throwing
the cards In two piles, one male and one
i female; and the authorities probably
thought the clerk could do what Bit
of machine could accomplish. hence the
order. Now il is a fact that this simple
: thing Of separating the cards Is a de-
/ cided mental setback and retards thl
} work to quite an extent In this way
t The moment the sex Of the card !:
t punched the other facts are assimilatet
and the work goes on 10 the end. The card
is drawn out, another is replaced, while
$ the mind catches the facts of the mex
; party: but If as the card is drawn GU
: the mind has 10 return to the start and
{ recall If 1t is man OF woman. 1t is fisgginl
D the train Of thought with vengeance
( and retards mental action 10 surp.ls
: ing extent
= So few cards we're punched that Off
Y Gals thought the clerks were lazy. a
: they were on salary, so those who hs
: two weeks experience were out en- piec
l. work The rate OF the daily output di
y not increase. a splendid tribute to tn
I clerks. showing they were doing thei
s best under salary; so but the work Is 5
h difficult and there is SO much likelihoo
4 that much of the carefully punched wor
d Will be thrown out owing to the differ
e ence of opinion that the clerks thin
& they are suffering from the terrible hes
10 of the glass-roofed building and wearin
g away for about 50 week. Hence II
o. howl and bitter disappointment. and ism
q, there some sympathy due these wome
who want to do fine work. and who cal
~ not. owing to q system stin cradsf