Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-09
MEN OUT OF WORK
PUT Up At AUCTION
ON BOSTON COMMON
One Woman Buys Work oi
Negro For So and Weeks
Board.
SOLDIER SELLS HIS DOG
New York Times.


Boston. Mass. Sept. 9.--Scenes
such as marked the old slavery days
IN America, of the era before the Civil
War. werc revived in this city yester-
day when. in presence of a MONDAY
throns. American men. both black
and white were "soldat auction" TO the
highest bidder, from the Parkman
tandstand on Boston common.
stripped to the waist. after the
fashion OF the slave markets of that
earlier period. the men mounted the
handstand and stood stolidly before
the asscmblage. hatless and collorless.
An auctioncer designated as MIR. Zero"
placed his hand upon the shoulders
of each man in turn, stating his
plight. imploring that some one come
forward and buy" At his command
the men went through various exer-
clses 90 show their muscles and agility.
The slaves" today were jobless
men. only two were sold" while
many more stood by. ready TO go ION
the block" II the auctioneer summon
ed them 10 take their turn
There We're. IL appeared. few en-
players In the crowd Unable 10 find
moro purchasers" the magic "Mr.
Zero" friend and auctioneer of the
iohicss. announced 20 the spectators
that another auction would be held AT
the same place and same hour to-
morrow.
And FOR Gods sake have some en-
ployors Of men among you," he yell
ca.
Yesterdays sale came to an end
when the auctioneer failed utterly
a. obtain bids on the third man put on
tho block" for sale. He was James
rerria. with a record Of four years in
the United states Amy. a part of
which was spent in action overseas.
Here's q sample OF what you used
during the war. What Will you do
with Il now" yelled the energetic
t.edoux to the half-puzzled throng.
The soldier was not sold"
spora 81 other men. many Of them
N-soidiers and sailors. have Informed
mir. Zero" of their desire to be auc-
toned aff "for a week" or even long
er period. Accordingly, the sale"
a. be held on the Common today will
resume with every prospect that 1t
will see more business" transacted.
t'rbain l.edoux, MIR. Zero" OF yes
terdav's auction, is a philanthropic
worker who lately opened the ''ChurtSi
OF the Unemployed" at 81 Howard
street. In the West End. He brought
15O men 20 the Common to tell the
people Of Boston their story. The
men "auctioned" were Joe Mitchell,
Negro. William Davis. a young
factory worker. who is white and
James Ferris. the war veteran whom
none would buy"
-Board and ss- for Negro.
A woman. Mrs. Anna Jackson, of
charlestown. bought" Mitchell. the
colored man. Her bid, which was the
best al the time. was a weeks board
and lodging and 81 for pocket money.
Take him-the man is yours,
shouted Zero to the woman with a
sweeping gesture.
As Mitchell had been without work
for six months. an individual in the
crowd contributed suit OF clothes and
a pair OF shoes before he went away to
bis new Job"
Davis was then put up and he was
"sold" TO MIR. and Mrs. James Sanger
al "a James street. South End. Davis
also brought 81 above his board and
lodging.
Unable 20 sell Ferris. the ex-ser-
vice man. I.cdouS turned TO Ferris and
said. do you still want 20 sell your
aoTq'
Ferris handed 70 the other man his
rset foXterricr. which was smuggling in
his arms.
You don't want a man: maybe
Sauli huv y dog yelled Ladoux.