The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-10-28

than the adult workers, and their
youth, instead Of an asset, proves a
liability.
West Virginia has long been well
towards the top of the list in leading
the exploitation of the young work
ers. It is considered weelthy state
but that wealth, although created by
the workers, is not enjoyed by them.
Take, for instance, the general con-
ditions of the factory, shop, and Office
workers in this section. Hours are
long, wages miserable, and in most
cases working conditions almost UNI
bearable.
Look Over This Dump
First, we might consider the Muir
ply Co. owing the and 10c. store in
this city. The girls employed. are
paid the grand total sum Of $3.50 per
week, hours from s till $3.50, and on
Saturdays till p. m. On that amount
they are expected to meet their living
expenses, dress well, look well, and
their general appearance must denote
prosperity.
Youth is used to good advantage
(for the bosses) in this instance. Dur
ing the holiday season and especially
around Christmas an s. o. S. is sent
by the management to the local high
school, offering to help the students
by giving them chance to earn some
extra money. How philanthropicl
Wages. are thus kept down. Most of
the girls employed are of school age
staying at home and depending on
their parents for living.
An EnameIled He'll
Then we have the young employees
of the enamel works owned by the
United States Stamping Co. Here
the wages paid are something like ten
dollars per week for the girls, hours
from to 5. The work is injurious to
the health. The speed-up system also
. is used, enabling some Of the work
ers to earn more money, but at what
a loss to their health and vitality!
The hours for the boys are OF course
longer, the night shift alone working
twelve, from p. m. to a. m.
Here also the speed-up system is
used and some of the workers, if un-
usually good slaves, sometimes earn
the grand sum of $25 or $50 per week
The low wages paid force some of the
workers to resort to what is common
ly styled by the bosses as cheating.
OF course such practice is punished
as the bosses see fit.
Glass Company Exploitation
The speed-up system here is also
used Some of the expert workers
manage to make around $40 or $25
per week if the season is good. But
they complain of the low wages that
are paid them for glassware that COM
mands such exorbitant prices thruout
the country. Only few cents is paid
them for plates that bring in around
$40 for the company.
The Fostoria Glass Co. boasts of
the fact that it gives its workers a
one or two week vacation during the
month Of July each year. What a
Misrepresentation Yes, a vacation,
but without pay. But instead of being
considered as vacation by the work
ers 1t is rather period of unemploy-
ment during which they must suffer.
Little Different Than Prisoners
Then we have the shirt factory
owned by Gordon, the same man who
contracts for prison labor at the
state penitentiary here. He is well
versed in the exploitation of the
workers and certainly takes advant-
age of his youthful employees. Around
ten dollars per week is paid them II
they work unusually hard but even
lower than that is offered to some OF
the workers.
Those who prove themselves good
and faithful slaves are rewarded b..
working "piece work" They manage
to make slightly more then. around
fifteen dollars and less per week, but
at what a cost to their general
nealth! The work Is sometimes dan
gerous and accidents occur.
In all Of the above factories nothing
is done for the comfort OF the work
ers. In summer the heat is terrific,
in winter the cold unbearable! The
general conditions are detrimental to
the welfare OF the workers.
Then we have the Office workers,
whose conditions are more pleasant