The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-03


world. Two Irish porters worked furiously TAX
ing in and shipping out the trunks of the tray-
cling bourgeois guests.
AS we went forward we passed the laundry
where the work was done exclusively by wom-
en- working at a frantic speed trying to keep
up with the machine, folding napkins, table
cloths and bed linen as they came out of the
mangle. A big cloud of steam coming out of
the wet clothes as they were ironed out, filled
the room so that you could not distinguish
the working women in the laundry. You could
only hear the voice of the forelady, Hurry
up, hurry up!' 1t seemed to me like holy
picture picturing the descent of the god of
the capitalist in cloud of smoke, preaching
the gospel of the speed-up and exploitation
system. We went up one stairway, and we
were in the office of the head waiter.
The head waiter, tall, thin fellow with a
mephistophelian smile greeted me, Good
morning" His mechanical smile which he in
herted as habit trying to look pleasant to
the guests betrayed his real self, an unscru-
pulous slave driver. He asked me the follow
ing questions:
''Where did you work before? Do you speak
good English? Are you married or single2
What nationality? How much do you weigh?
Do you drink? What religion do you believe
in? Are you a union man? Answer me why
you quit your last job and how long you work.
ed there?" And different other questions to
none of which l answered the truth For if
had told the truth, l would never have gotten
the job.
After this cross-examination, he told me that
could start to work that night at five o'clock.
They had several big parties, and he needed
help anyway. He told the detective to take
me up to the office to sign the contract
went into the office where young girl had
the contracts ready. She showed me the dot
ted line where to sign. / did not know what
the contract said, or how much the wages
would be or how many hours would work or
whether would get day off week or none
at all. would not dare to ask such questions
or read the contract for they would be sus-
picious that might be revolutionary work
err union man.
l learned later from my friend that the con-
tract which | signed says that the boss has the
right to discharge you any time, but if you
want to leave you have to notify the boss a
week before. That the wages were ten dol
lars week and two days a month off, The
workers who wanted to get four days a month
off, had their wages reduced to eight dollars
week.
After the contracts were signed, got my
walters badge for which paid one dollar, and
fifty cents for the key of my locker. After all
this red tape the detective took me down to
the locker room where l put my clothes
went out with only fifty cents in my pocket
after paid for my clothes, badges and keys
$14.50 out of my whole capital of $500.
RETURNED at five o'clock and went
straight to the floor where all the walters
were gathered. One of the walters came in
with an order from the head waiter:
"All walters and bus boys in the grill room
The head waiter is going to lecture"
We all gathered in circle around the head
waiter who gave us lecture on how to be
clean and courteous to the guests. ''Your
faces" he said, "look terrible You have no
smile in your face. What's the matter? You
don't get enough sleep or something? know
you are all working hard and long hours, but
that has nothing to do with your being cour-
teous and smiling once in while. If you have
troubles at home with your wife and children,
leave them home or around the corner before
you come to the hotel. Don't bring them in
The guests want pleasant man to serve them.
we inf 10 Er,O