The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-06-27

workers in the blast furnaces Of the
steel mills-the second most highly
protected industry-work II hours a
day, seven days week and are mis-
erably treated and underpaid.
| An now comes the most damning
revelations of all in the report of the
New York State Factory Investigate
| ing Commission showing that there
are 100000 women at work in the
highly protected factories of New
York cities, and that the average
weekly wage of these women toilers
is IS. The proprietors of the factor
les told the investigators time and
again that they "use women in place
I of men wherever possible, as they
are cheaper and do not strike for
better wages or conditions
The report of this commission has
been gone over and substantiated
by independent Investigators paid by
big New York Newspaper. Here
are some of the ways the factory and
mill owners protect American work.
ingmen:"
Boys fingers when cut off by
punch" machines in the metal
working shops are quoted at 5000
the pair; amputated singly they are
worth $3.50.
Girls fingers when crushed by the
machines in box factories are not
paid for, as the machines are run at
the risk of the girls.
Women, some gray-haired, stand
in the slaughter houses for ten
hours daily stripping pork and max
ing sausages.
Women, some young and others
old, work at core-m aking in the
steel and iron boundaries while they
breath carbon monoxide, poisonous
gas, liberated by the ovens in the
same room.
Women polish marble with cor
rosive acids in many of the marble
shops. This work would tax the
strength of robust man.
Women, as a rule, work immedi-
ately before and two weeks after
they give birth to children that they
may support the little ones after they
come into the world; they cannot af-
ford to lay off.
Many thousand children are legal
ly employed long hours doing the
work of adults; children can do some
classes of work as fast as men, and
they work cheaper, for SO or 81 a
week; in one factory the entire out
put is mde by children; the only
adult in the place is the owner.
Men, women and children are
worked to the injury of their health
under the pace-setting, speeding up
and other features OF what is known
as scientific shop method systems.
Query: The manufacturers who
use their help this way receive :ro-
lection which enables them t. build
up enormous fortunes, on the ground
they desire to protect" their en-
|'pIoyed. Since they :,re not p:o:eot-
ing their employees, why should
they be permitted monopolies on
their products?
Biggest Issue of All.
How is the cost of living to be e
duced? This is the most important
question before the American peo-
pie. It's solution is more vital by far
than the identity of the next presi-
dent.
Under the present system of Excess
sive protection, those who toll are
each year finding it more difficult to
make a living, while the compare
tive handful of millionaries who
chiefly reap the benefit of this toll
spend their time in idleness and dis
sipation; their fortunes meanwhile
increasing in proportion to the cost
of living.
The result is that Americans, par
ticularly the hardworking poor, are
becoming Disguised with the away
things are going; Disguised even with
this form of government, and are
turning to socialism.
! This feeling on the part of the
wagearner is simply history repeat
ing itself. Extravaganza and pow
erty, the history of republic shows,
never made good bed-fellows in a
"cradle of liberty" 1t is obviously
important that the high cost of liv-
ing problem be solved before the un-
rest grows to greater proportions
The earlier it is solved the better for
the republic. Which party will solve
it, the Republican party or the Dem
ocratic party? The Republican the
DRY has always been that the heavier
worn or used by the people, the bet:
ICI LUZ IAdI pcOplc ZIG DcuOCidLlC
theory is that to reduce taxation is
to reduce prices. The people must
choose between the two policies, the
policy of protection or the policy of
merely enough tariff to raise suf-
ficient revenue to meet the actual
expenses of the government.
Why Slight Good Roads.
TIL United States spends annually
$95 100000 for the maintenance OF
a standing army, $125,00O,00 annu-
ally for its naval establishment and
100000 annually for diplomatic
representatives abroad. But the
United States government spends
nothing annually for good roads
The Democratic House, however
has appropriated $1S,00O,0O0 fol
improvement of the nations high.
ways, and if the Republican senate
does not chloroform the bill, Con.
gress will have inau gurated a pub
lie policy which will permit the farm
ers of the country to receive the
benefits of a larger proportion of the
vast povornmont ovnondif1,roc