The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-24

nave you ever WOTkeQ one Q these things?" Rogers inquired as h. took a cloth from over what ap peared to be a kind os miniaturt cider press.
 It's a new business to me-" I an swered.
 Well. can't say that it's wortf learning" He reached for rib the top part-of the kind of socki that l was to manufacture for thu state But here we go"
 ] watched him as he began to at tach each little loop at the end O the rib threads over a small uprlsh darning needle contrivance; and wher the whole thing was made fast, two cotton threads were attached so tha by turning q small crank the knit ting process was put into action There was a way of lowering certain needles to make the narrow place! in the sock, also a way of running il different colored thread for the heel and toes. All of 1t was to me SC de spicable right from the beginnin. that I never took the trouble to ob serve closely the workings of th thing.
 Before I had been there an hour an idea occurred to me-and I eX pressed part of that idea by a ques tion to my instructor.
 X Chance To Earn Time.
 "In the event a fellow can't learr this, you'd have to report his inabil ity to do so to the old man ovel there, wouldn't you?"
 He appeared to be studying me fol a moment, then; No, l wouldn't d' any reporting. You see, each mar here has a task, and the old mar could see for himself whether mar is able to turn off the task. The task on this sock-makfng is 30 pairs a day. If a man is never able to ge' above IS or 20 pairs a day, they'll soon take him off the job
 T understand-and thank you foi the information" l returned, "Bu' I've heard that in some places if fellow doesn't turn out his task they'll try to force him to-"
 "Yes. that's true, I suppose" re piled Rogers. "They do that in th' irger stirs, I've herd-east of herr where that man-killin' contract sys tenn is in vogue. But in nearly al of these little dumps in the west ft'' different. With the exception o1 two or three western pens, doin' time is a joke.'
 with the joke on the fellow who does the time," I suggested.
 "Oh, yes-in a way" he agreed But I was just comparin' these smaller western pens with those o. the east and what's known s the middle west"
 why are all those fellows work ing so fast over there?" l inquired indicating the men at the long ta- bles.
 "Theyre rushin' through with theil tasks" Rogers explained. "Somt of em get through as early as 1:30 and then they have the rest of the day for themselves-they may reat or work at something for them selves, or just take it easy"
 What kind of work for them selves?" I asked, beginning to put on my first rib.
 kinds of articles to sell" he told me. "They're allowed to send away and get leather and horse hair, yarn beads, silk thread and the like. and they make brides, shawls, fine bead purses and bags, and lot more such things. And then they may send them away somewhere and get some one on the outside to sell or raffle off the stuff for them" X Business Opening.
 "Do they make any money%
 Some O. these fellows have as high as $500 to their credit in the front office. The great trouble is they don't have an easy time get tin places to ship the goods to-"
 I don't remember the reply made, but I do know that an idea was forming in my mind right then with a view to getting in on that business.
 Wonder if there'd be a chance to form a partnership with some of the boys?" I asked.
 "Why, sure," he answered. There are lot of fellows who are good hands to do the work, but they If you've got few dollars to in vest, and if you could think out a way of gettin' the goods placed on the outside-why. such a business could be built up as nobody would dream of"
 How much money would 1t take to begin with?" was my next in- quiry.
 You know. s2o in here" he glancing toward the bald headed superintendent across the equal to several thou sand outside"
 Our talk was cut short by the ap- proach of the superintendent.
 Flows Kane making out?" he asked my instructor.
 Seems to have trouble in getting the loops over-his eyes water a bit" Rogers told him.
 Perhaps I've been reading too long at a time" I suggested. quick to sense my instructors idea of helping me to get away from that job. NO doubt my eyes will get bet ter soon."
 The old man watched me for a moment. then without another word walked away.
 I Am Promoted.
 'I'll put you next to something now" Rogers spoke in a low and confidential tone. They sometimes put a high strung-like fellow on this job just to try him out; that is, to see if he'll do whatever he's told You're goin' at it just right The guy by his name rather than his number. he likes him-and the chances are you won't be here long Stick it out few days, or even 6 few weeks, If you can"
 l did manage to stick it out for few weeks-a little over five Then one afternoon came the first machine and told to go to the shoI office. There l found both the war den and the deputy warden.
 Kane, how are you?" asked the warden, who had the appearance ot United States senator, and had l learned later-an appetite like Philip the Seventh of Spain.
 Fairly well, thank you, warden, I answered.
 q sent for you, Kane" he wen on. Ito tell you that you're to bt transferred to the bakery. That vii be a much better job in every way and you'll be transferred to tn, first grade at once. Now, our rult ordinarily is to keep a man in tn, lower grade for the first three months, but we want to begin witt you by meeting you a little bit nor, than half way if we can. So yol may consider yourself relieved iron the shop work, and you may go ant