The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-04-03
MARY KONOysKY'S WAGE
Illustrating the Hypocrltical Attitude
OF Critics OF Low Textile Wages

"a Letter to the New York Sum
| Among the stories of striking mill
operatives at Little Falls told to the
Commissioners of Mediation and Ar
bitration for the State of New York,
that of girl whom ! shall call Mary
konovsky was the most impressive
in many ways. The young woman
swore to the following statement, rem
dered into English by an Interpreter:
MY name is Mary Konoysky, ] am
% years old. ! can speak no English
nor can | read or write in that Ian
guage. ] was born in Russian Po-
land. have been in this country
three years. | was employed as a
spinner in the X mill | earned Sc
week. live in a room with two
other girls as poor as myself For
this room we pay SO week. We get
our own breakfast and have dinner
at restaurant. When working we
took our lunch with us to the mill
and ate ii there. | send no money
home because | have none. | struck
because my pay was too low. ] want
raise of Is per cent and will return
to work if | get that
This testimony of Mary Konovsky
has been published and republished
throughout the country. In conse-
quence thousands of kind-hearted peo-
pie have grieved over the pitiable
condition of this poor Polander and
their hearts have ached for her and
her fellow strikers. The more SEN
sational publications have held up to
the execration of mankind the heart
less, sordid manufacturers who paid
such poor wages.
With your permission and through
your courtesy l would like to say
few words directly to these sympathe
tic people. Ladies and gentlemen,
Mary konovsky stands before the
commissioners. Have look at her
She is poor human creature born
and bred in poverty and misery, I'M
educated, unframed, stolid, stupid, but
possessed of an immortal soul and
eager for the betterment of her con-
dition. She wants $500 a week and
will be satisfied with that amount. Her
former employer, a manufacturer who
hac n
investment exceeding a million dollars
who is the agent of the stockholders OF
his company, all of whom demand that |
he run his factory at a profit, says |
out-spokenly:
Il will pay Mary konovsky Sc
week. and this is more than she is
worth. She has no industrial train |
ing of any kind. All she is fit for is |
to mind a spinning frame and when
the delicate threads break tie the ends /
together. Her fingers are very clum !
sy at this and she makes great deal |
little machine to place Oh her fingers /
to tie these ends, for the machinery |
is much cleverer than she. Ameri /
can girls of her own age in my fac |
tory are making from $40 to $14 a |
week. | had rather pay Mary three
times her wages If she were of pro-
portionate value to me. Unwittingly |
she has made me appear before my |
fellow men a grinder down of the |
poor. She has injured my character
and that of my will. | will take her
back if she wants to come, but really
[ don't want her. | want trained
educated girls if | can get them. There
she stands. Her services are for sale |
at $3.50 a week. What will you bid?
You mistress, housewife, with tender
eyes. will you pay more than Sc a
week for Mary?
NO. you say. She cannot spe
English. She is mere peasant |
knows nothing of the mechanism of a
modern kitchen. | don't want her
You, Mr.. Storekeeper, what will you
given? You could not use her ser
vices? She would not be able to
stand behind your counter and sell
goods? She is unprepossesslng and
uncouth? She cannot speak English
And what is this you say:
Il cannot afford to pay Sc a week
for girl clerks"
We pass you up for kind gentle
man, who, perhaps, gushed unthink-
ingly Come on, all the rest of you,
doctors, lawyers, clergymen, politi
clans, editors, what will you bid for
the services of Mary Konoysky?
She wants only $3.50 week. For
Gods sake, gentlemen, don't let the
cruel mill get her again. Take her
into your homes, into your offices. into
your studies, give her a chance in the
world YOu cry altogether, We