davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Beer as a Breakfast Food

To get back to the Polish physician.
"They do not catch pneumonia" he said,
land a cold bothers them little; they
sweat it out. Their trouble is great
tendency to quench an abnormal thirst
with heavy drafts of beer. They are
strong on whiskey with beer as
chaser They find it satisfies and en-
livens them. Every two or three months
they come to me saying their stonrachs
are knocked out and they have no appe-
tite. make them stop work and slow
up on drinking and the appetite comes
back; that is, the first few times. Later
it comes harder. Why, these men drink
beer for breakfast and eat no food at all!
The conditions of their work make the
temptation hard TO withstand.
They are old at thirty-five years. Ten
years cleaning gets em. And their chill
dren are not so strong as the other mems
children. The vitality is low Their
children couldn't clean stills. 1t takes
the finest type of human body to do that
work.
Stomach and lung diseases are the
chief complaints of the Polish workmen.
Much of this is due to their ignorance OF
hygiene. The rest is attributable to their
work. 1t used to be that the men in the
paraffine departments were troubled with
bols The grease would get into the
pores of their skins and the bolS would
appear. do not hear of these often
now. Baths have been provided for the
men and this largely eliminates the trou-
Bile. Men who stay many years in the
wood working departments frequently de-
velop coughs and asthmatic conditions due
to the dust in the air. Suction fans have
been placed at the saws, but the work
men tell me they are frequently out of
order. (This charge was officially de-
nied.)
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Uses of Profanity

A member of the strike committee eX-
planned to me that the term abusive
treatment" as used in the strikers de-
mands meant the use of abusive Ian
guage. This language is used, and used
frequently. 1t goes the limit in invective.
But one hears the same language in the
saloons. Profane words are among the
first English learned by the newcomer.
Listen to conversation in the Polish
tongue and you'll frequently catch an
American OATH 1t is the plea, therefore,
of the boss that profanity is the language
Of the laborer. that he must use it to
make himself clear, that no intent to in
suit is behind his words, and that no in
suit is seen by the workman.
In connection with the relations Of the
men with their employers, even the
casual observer notices that there is
lacking a point Of helpful contact be-
tween the men and the companies. True,
the superintendent are there and they
all assert they are anxious to take up
with any man any problem he may be
facing. But it must be remembered that
the alien does not understand conditions,
that he is slow in his mental processes
and that a natural embarrassment often
prevents a workman from stating his
case clearly to the supreme authority at
the plant. The injustice which results
is thus unintentional and would not oc-
cur had the superintendent known what
the man was after. Still, the injustice
remains
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
No Movies in the Hook District

The Polish children play in the streets.
On either side of the tenement district
is a large acreage. One Of them, con-
tanning forty-three acres above high tide,
was only recently purchased by the
Standard. The other is owned by the
Tidewater. 1t is possible some of this
space may be set aside for Fairgrounds.
In all the Hook there is not a single
motion picture theatre.
Toward the solution Of the recreation
problem there is the idea Of Superinten-
dent Hennessy of the Standard, who
would construct large building IN the
Hook as a sort of Madison Square Gar
den. a place where the workmen may
meet as they please and where, In gen
erai\the community centre idea would be
carried out. A significant feature Of this
idea is to put the building completely in
the hands of the men, with no Interior
ence from the companies, though the latter
would Jointly furnish the money for its
erection.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Good a Library Can Do

The city Of Bayonne has the usual night
school. In total enrolment of 800 there
are 300 Poles. Most of these are young
people. and many of them are American
born. 1t is the general experience OF the
educators that the night school is an in
effective way to reach the adult immi-
grants. The attendance requires too
much initiative and ambition from the
ordinary workman, who comes home tired,
if not wholly exhausted. In addition, his
spark of intelligence has not been famed
into flame.
An effective after-work is being done by
the Public Library of Bayonne, which Is
in charge of Miss Mary c. Peters. Most
Of the patrons of the library are children;
a large percentage of them are the children
of immigrants. More than half the IL
brary's book money is spent on literature
for children There is soon to be opened,
in a building close to the Hook, a branch
library in foreign languages. Some OF
those people," said Miss Peters, cant
read English, but a few can read some
other language. We are hunting up
those cases. The man who reads is not SO
likely to become disconnected"
(The opening of this branch, close to the
Hook, had surprising results. 1t had been
thought two clerks could handle the busi-
ness there, but it was soon found neces-
sary to double this number. The average
daily circulation exceeds 200 volumes. Per
sons of all ages, sexes and natlonalitles
are among the patrons. Children, VINO
have learned to read at the public schools,
are taking out volumes to read to their
parents. Fairy stories seem to be IN the
greatest demand, but it is significant that
this is almost equalled by the demand Tor
works on English for Beginners" and on
elementary civics. 1t seems definitely es-
tablished that, given a reasonable oppor-
tunitv. the Pole is anxious to acquaint
himself with his new surroundings. his
clannishness is not altogether voluntary
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

$3.50 a day affords a man thai oppor-
tunity in Bayonne?'
Positively not" he asserted
What do you think is a living wage
here"
Heavens, man, | can't tell you! cant
see" he continued. chow these poor devils
live. Horrible conditions! Those tcne-
ments ought to be torn down. They're not
fit to live in"
The Mayor recently appointed city
planning commission, a part of whose
duties will be the investigation of housing
conditions. The commission has done lit
tie vet.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Putting 1t Up to John BarleycOrn

As to the effect of the saloon, there is
all but unanimous condemnation of its
effects Here speaks Mayor Carver:
Most of the Poles arrested are taken on
charges of drunkenness"
Abou Ben Adhem (sec below THE
laboring mems curse is drink. 1t pulls
them down and holds them down"
Director Wilson: There's lot of
drunkenness among the Poles. Drink is
hurting them
A Polish physician: 81 suppose the sa-
loon makes most of my patients"
A Polish lawyer: THE saloon is sap
ping the strength of the Polish work
man"
A Polish labor leader: "A few of them
do not drink. Most Of them do. They
average about thirty cents day in the
saloon. They do not save in Bayonne,
as they do where there are no saloons
In spite of all this, there is pith in the
query of Polish saloonkeeper Where
is man going to go when he's not
working? What's he going to do?"
After three weeks in Bayonne am
absolutely unable to answer his question.
There is no answer--yet
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
LIVING CONDITIONS
IN HOOK DISTRICT
"Horrible ConditionS" Says the Mayor;
These TenementS Ought To BE
Torn Down"

Bayonne's living costs have not Jagged
behind the rest of the country. It is idle
to say that such increases do not cause un-
rest among the workmen. 1t is just as
idle to say that they are the sole cause Of
the unrest, or even that they constitute
the chief cause. Since July, 1915, accord
ing to calculations of the Standard Oil
Company, wages have been increased 81
per cent. It is said by the compeny that
this covers the increases in living costs.
Granting that it does, it leaves conditions
lust where they were at the beginning of
the first strike.
The wife of one of the Polish workmen,
living in The Hook, told me of her expert
ence at the market within the past three
months. By checking it with the expert
ences of other such women, it was found
fairly typical This woman has seen po-
tatoes lump from three cents to five cents
a pound; bread from eight to ten cents;
milk from six TO seven cents pint; flour
from five cents to eight cents pound.
During the same period her rent has been
raised fourteen per cent, and, if previous
experience is any guide, the recent rise
in wages will be the signal for an early
further increase in this same item, rent
(The statements given in the preceding
paragraph apply to conditions as they
were December /, 1916, when the story
was written. Last week the writer made
careful resurvey of Bayonne. Living
costs, Of course, had risen greatly as they
have risen in New York, and, as predicted,
the increase in wages was the signal for
another increase in rents. Except as noted
hereafter, there have been no changes in
the conditions which would have material
bearing on any statements made herein.)
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
What Mayor Garven Thinks

In addition to being Mayor of Bayonne,
Pierre p. Garven is lifelong resident of
the city and the attorney for several Of
the leading industries, among which he
said were the Standard Oil, the Tidewater
OIL the Vacuum Oil, and the International
Nickel Companies. These companies en-
ploy more than two-thirds of all the local
wage earners. Certainly, Mr.. Garven can
not be accused Of prejudice against his
clients. Here is what he said:
"Those men 1.-THE Poles) are bound down
10 a system Of hand to-mouth living by
the unjustifable increases in the costs OF
food and rent. Wages ought TO be in
creased until every man in the Hook will
have the opportunity really to live"
"Do you think the new wage scale OF
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Problem of Recreation

Working along the same line are the
men who are urging the school board to
throw open the public school buildings
for night use as community centres. This
already has been done with some Of the
buildings and will probably be done with
the most important of all, that in the
Hook.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
A REMARKABLE MAN;
HIS REMARKABLE DEEDS
A Bayonne "Independent" Who Proves
that Welfare Work Is Not Ineon-
sisteut with Profits and Dividends

Which brings me to the most significant
part of this article. Still on the subject
of illiteracy, it deals with the most re-
markabe effort yet made in behalf Of the
American immigrant. Incidentally it
brings in a remarkable man. This man
refused to allow the use of his name in
connection with the story He said he
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

and your wood and your oil; you employ
trained scientists to help you in that
study. DO the same thing with this other
material labor. Surely it is worth as
much thought.
"You have sent your men into my for
ests, where they felled the choicest trees
without regard to the second growth, and
where they left so much trash that fires
came and destroyed everything you had
left. You sent your men into my mines,
and they followed only the richest leads
and, when they left, cave-ns covered up
the ore Of second grade so that it may
never be retrieved. You went into my oil
fields and there, too, you took only what
was easiest to take. Billions Of feet Of
natural gas, millions of gallons Of oil
have been destroyed without excuse.
Everywhere you have been guilty Of
waste. My children who come after you
will be sore put to it for lumber and iron
and oil.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Dividends Out of Capital Stock

Even my stores of labor you are
wasting. Every year there come to my
shores thousands of these sturdy Poop >
whose chief asset is the strength of their
bodies. You seize this asset and convert
it into dividends. You are entitled to
dividends, but do not waste this precious
material You are beginning to see your
error with your other materials. Before
long you will be forced to use the milk
from which you have already skinned
the cream. Do not let this happen with
your labor.
"This Pole was bred as farmer. He
is not used to your methods or to the
ways Of city. Help him protect him
self. Do not wear him out by using him
at killing occupations. Do not exhaust
his vitality so that his children will be
less strong than he. Do not send him at
the end of his days work to home where
his body cannot rebuild the tissues worn
out in toll for you; to home where his
children cannot grow into manhood more
splendid than his. Remember the second
growth of the tree. If labor is ma
terial like lumber, then remember, also,
the second growth Of the man."
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
THEIR CHILDREN
COULDN'T DO 1T"
Description of Work Which Makes
Men Old at Thirty-five"-Yet Oo-
cupational Ailments Are Rare

Their children couldn't do itw This
was declaration heard in rather futile
search for occupational diseases. 1t was
made by Polish physician and confirmed
by an American physician, each with
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

cooking and enduring their presence in
the family circle the wife pays the rent Of
the fat.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

was trying TO spread the good word" and
that publicity, by putting him in the at
titude of playing to the grand stand
would defeat his purposes. yielded, be-
cause remembered a name that fitted him
better than the one he got from his father.
Social him Abou Ben Adhem.
Abou Ben Adhem is the superintendent
Of one Of the smaller industrial plants OF
Bayonne. He employs only few hum
dred men, but the same problems face
him that worry the other superintendent.
He made study of these conditions and
he noted that big lump of foreign matter
that would not melt in the melting pot
He studied it and found that the core Of
the lump was illiteracy More than ordi-
nary heat was required to fuse it. He
got out an Intellectual oxy-acetylene
fame and applied it. The lump melted.
Schooling Part of Days Work
The fame he used was plant school
for illiterate immigrants. II was the first
of it's kind in America, though similar
movement was undertaken in New York
ct the same time. The idea was the same
the methods we're different. Mr.. Adhem
is quick to disclaim authorship Of the idea.
He says it came to him from an outsider.
At any rate it worked.
Last fall the school began its third
year, and at the same time another school,
modelled on the same lines, was started in
another small factory in Bayonne. This
tribute does not indicate the success of
the school so much as the following state
ment, which is proven from the records
Of the first two years:
The ordinary Polish immigrant, totally
iliterate, may be given in sixty hours an
English vocabulary of 200 words, and
these 200 words are sufficient to raise that
Police earning capacity 20 per cent.
The figures given are the lowest record
made. The high record was 325 words
and 80 per cent.
The first step of Mr.. Adhem was to OBJ
tain the agreement of the Bayonne Board
Of Education to furnish skilled teacher
to conduct the school. The board was
quick to meet him. He then equipped a
light, airy room at his plant for use as
a schoolroom. On the advice of the
teacher he purchased the necessary
books. Skipping some of the early ex-
periments, this is how the school is now
run: There are two classes daily, each
lasting one hour. The man on the day
shift attends school at the end of his
work; the man on the night shift at the
beginning of his work.
Any workman may enter the school
without cost. Every student works
seven hours a day, goes to school one
hour, and is paid for eight hours work.
All that is asked of him is his own eff
fort At the end of sixty days he grad
yates" An effort is made to encourage
every graduate" to continue his studies,
either at the public night school or at his
home. In the latter case he has the
free advice of the plant school teacher.
1t is not the idea to pay man to
help himself after he has had time to
get the idea; but it is assumed that, be-
ing entirely without letters, he cannot
know the value of learning until he has
tasted Of it.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
yONNE. A TEST OF AMERICAN EFFICIENC

mean nothing 10 them. Our 'graduaks
can read signs in English. They can be
trusted, therefore, with work that II
would be dangerous 10 put in the hand,
Of an illiterate. No, it's not enthusiasm.
Two years is TOO long for such enthud-
asm 10 last. Besides, I have q board n
directors. | have to prove up everythinr
like this on a basis Of dollars and cents
Decreasing Accidents 81 Per Cent
"All right" objected. Suppose am
regular old skinfint Of a director.
Where do come in? You take my money
TO buy books and build and equip school.
room for these illiterates. You go 10 work
and pay these illterates with my money 10
learn something for their own benefit
Then you raise their wages. You use ny
money TO put information into their heads
and then use some more Of my money to
buy it back. Where do I get off? I think
I'll get another superintendent"
Mr.. Adhem chuckled. "All right, you
old tight-fst. This may interest you.
Since we started the school accidents IN
the plant have decreased 81 per cent, ard
accidents are the most costly thing about
plant. The saving there has been far
more than the entire costs Of the school
and other work in connection"
"Other work." growled in my nest
skinHntly manner.
Eyes" he replied. "The Safety First
propaganda and the lunchroom. You see,
we noticed that most of our accidents IN
every shift occurred just after the lunch
period. We investigated. The men were
not having the proper food and were pay.
ing heavy prices for what they got Poor
food encourages drinking, and some o. the
men were slipping out to get drink after
lunch We equipped lunchroon, and
now we sell hot cooked food 10 the men at
about one-half what they'd been paying
the grocer for unlocked food Of poorer
quality Hot coffee and tea are served
and fewer men are slipping out for beer.
The lunchroom pays for itself"
had to have something to kick about
"Looks like socialism to me-" muttercd.
Good Feeling and Feeling Good
"But," countered the superintendent
"the men are doing better work. It was
the same way with the shower baths and
the big, special-sized lockers which we In
stalled-one for every man on the grounds
A mans a long way toward feeling good
when he gets wholesome food in a clean
body. Then there's the bonuses"
squirmed as beftted my role. why
the bonus?" l grumbled. "Why give the
men more than you agreed to pay?"
I'VE didn't give it to them, and they do
not look on it as gift. But last Christ
man we found we had had very profit
able year. The men had helped US, SO we
divided the extra profits. They were en-
titled to it. We put in each pay envelops
10 per cent of the wages the man had re-
ceived during the year. This year we plan
similar distribution"
The man was positively contagious. /
objected to continuing in any such role
But tell me, please" said /, "why you keep
saying we did this and we did that Why
the we? You are the superintendent and
have full control, haven't your"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Golden Rule in Industry

"The only way to run plant success
fully" said Mr.. Adhem, sis to have one
rule and enforce 1.-THE Golden Rule.
Whenever there is trouble between the
men and their employers you may be
sure that one side or the other has vio-
lated this rule. 1t must never be for
gotten that unjust economic conditions
or inconsiderate treatment may drive men
to desperation and cause them to make
unjust and exorbitant demands on their
employers Injustice breeds injustice.
Most working men are loyal to the
company which hires them. | am con-
WINGED Of that, absolutely. 1t is for the
company to guard lest it forfeit that
loyalty; rather, it is for the company to
assume a positive attitude and strive to
preserve and strengthen that loyalty.
One of the most effective ways is by the
introduction of the personal element. OF
course, the larger the plant the more
difficult this is for the superintendent
alone, but he can accomplish much
through his subordinates. Attitudes are
like water; they seep down from the
top. If the man at the top has kindly
attitude toward his men, the foremen and
other bosses ought to reflect the same
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Making a Man of a Man

Because our plant is run on the part
nership basis. We try constantly TO get
the men to feel that we are all partners in
the business. That's the reason the Christ
mas bonuses are not treated as gifts.
They are just distributed at that time be.
cause it is the time extra money is most
needed. Then, too, the ideas are BY no
means all mine. We make play for ideas
from every man. We encourage the hum
blest workman TO offer suggestions. Nat
urally, few of these are adopted, but he
keeps on trying and you can't imagine his
pleasure when one is accepted. II gives
him sense Of individuality that nothing
else can. We treat every man that way.
He's person. We impress that on him
II gives him self-respect, and self-respect
is the only permanent basis for mans re-
spect for others. It's not far step from
respect for individuals to respect for such
abstract things as the law.
"Well," continued Mr.. Adhem, after
pause, that's the eight hours Of work ae-
counted for. Now for the eight hours OF
sleep, and the eight hours play"
"You are not going to invade a mans
homer" / gasped.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01

law against such things and that law is
a great joke.
In this connection ! was told positively
there were no gambling houses in Bay
onne. ! found two thriving crap games,
at one Of which young Slav lawyer was
serving as lookout. Practically all the
participants were young men and boys.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
The Sunday Law in Bayonne

The Bayonne saloons persistently vio-
late the law. The latter requires that
they shall close each night at 1890
a. m. and shall be closed all day Sunday.
Henry Wilson, Director of Public Safety
(police commissioner, denies there are
any but infrequent violations of the clos
ing low. His opinion is Endorsed by
Mayor Garven. respectfully submit
that night after night / was in various
saloons in various parts Of Bayonne I'M
til / 80 a. m. and later; and that one
Sunday ! entered and purchased drinks
in no fewer than nine saloons. | could
have entered many more. The ones l
did 90 in were widely scattered, purpose
ly so selected.
This is mentioned because the COM
plant is made that the Pole does not re-
spect our laws or police. Why should he?
Go into any one of the several dozen
saloons which operate on Sundays and
which are crowded throughout the after
noon and early evening. Note the mock
secrecy of side doors, Of drawn curtains,
of relative silence And then 60 out as
] did before the very eyes Of patrol
man. II would be better if the farce
were done away with. II fools no one
(save the Mayor and the Director Of Pub
lie Safety and it serves only to impress
on the future citizens that there is