The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-27
RICH ARE POOR PAY
By SOPHIE IRENE LOEB


 A woman writes me very inter- esting letter in which she sorely de- cries the prevailing habit that many people have of keeping workers waiting for the money they have earned. She Is g. dressmaker and knows of several others who have been sorely tried because of the trials which have been hers in this connec- tion.
 This woman says: "For example I know a most clever girl. She gets no end of work, but these women for whom she creates all the pretty things keep her weeks waiting for the money. When she gets any it is only sop in the pan-with more work to do.
 T called on this friend last week. As she was out l talked with her sister. At my question if she was working. she said: Working? l only wish she would give 1t up. She has over four hundred dollars out
 What right have these women to have work done and keep the poor dressmakers struggling on?" asks the writer. It's all about the same. Five months a lady kept g woman waiting for four dollars"
 This Is not an unusual occurrence. There are many such people in the world. who because they themselves are rarely in want, cannot feel the pain of the poor person, who needs every cent he has earned--all tho time.
 know many a prominent merchant who finds it difficult to collect bills from well-todo people. He wants to keep their trade, which Is valuable to him and therefore is reluctant to send bills for fear of offending his affluent customers.
 In this case, however, he has probably well-established business with enough backing to carry on and so, though with difficulty sometimes, he makes 1t possible to wait. Even this is very wrong on the part of peo- pie who can pay regularly, but who, through neglect and carelessness, their position in life permits them to do it.
 But when this same attitude is as- sumed against the hard-working dressmaker or the servant girl, or some such person, whose meagre means are most important and vital to her, 1t is all wrong.
 There should be an awakening. It might not be a bad idea for such people. who most often thoughtlessly keep working people from getting their money promptly, to do a little thinking of their own.
 know a young man who worked for family for years and because he trusted them so he permitted his pay to run along for 8 couple of years, just having a little spending money.
 When the head of the family died suddenly his financial affairs were SC involved that the young man lost all i his back pay. On two or three occa- sions he had asked for his money be- cause he wanted to send it. to his mother in the old country, but he was always put off until future time. And feeling that the money was as good as in his own pocket" he had let 1t go on to his later loss venture to say that If many of 1 these people were suddenly con fronted with all the wrong they have engendered and with the troubles they have caused--if picture of the sorrow and suffering they have inflicted on struggling people by the neglect in paying promptly, they would be mortified at the picture they would see.
 This common fault of not few is worth while correcting.
 A new page in the New Year might well be turned for the good of the world at large. The injustice or it all is so apparent and this Is so fragrant violation og "The Golden Rule" that its appeal should be driven home.