The daily worker., 1927-05-26
A Modern Factory
By BERTHA KANTOR.

A big, modern factory! When my application for
the job accepted it gave the happy illusion that
at last l had found the right place. Here must be
plenty of light and air; here, there will be
choking pressing feeling in my breast, sharp
electric light hurting my eyes.
Happily I came into the work-room, and my
happiness disappeared. My old friends smiling
at me-the bright electric lights The whole place was
the same old "HOe" which am so well acquainted
with.
No Light or Heat.
The working room was located at the rear of the
floor. corner with window facing blind, dark
alley and another looking outside, frosted glass which
forgot the time it washed last dirty floor. 1t
is so cold and damp Later l learned that mat
ter how and shining it is outside cold and damp
ness still prevails in this corner it penetrates your
very bones; you always have a feeling of dreary,
rainy day in November.
The front of the floor and the big windows that had
attracted much, this is divided from the working
by partition. There is the office the shipping
room. space is also occupied by big table for no
definite purpose except to play cards when it is slow
Boss On Guard
So, here learned the bitter lesson that things can
be arranged skifully as to make life miserable
even in the big modern building l must confess that
my trust in the big, modern building had been great
up to that time But let's return to the working room
Two rows of machines; at the end little table, Here
the boss SITS facing the machines big clock before
him on the wall. He notices every move of yours he
counts how many times and for how long you leave
your chair during the day.
FavOritism and Speeding.
We here thirty girls and men. Three girls and
one man work on each garment Besides the weekly
wages, receive few pennies extra for each gar
men with the intention that they should work faster
and rush the girls When there is not much work the
slow workers are laid off for day To the fast
ones the boss tells quietly "I soon announce no work
tomorrow but you should in"
We are thirty here, but seldom you will hear the
SOUND of voices during the whole long day The onv
contrast to this atmosphere of goominess my neigh
Dor Mary She is nineteen she is always happy sings
laughs and chatters The little devil "Come on cheer
up, for heavens sake;" she pulls me by nv sleeve "I
sing you something" And she begns "Bue sky smil-
ing at me, beautiful blue skies all that see :" Mary
is the real "Jazz Baby If she ever finds out that
do not dance the "Black Bottom" will be lost in her
eyes, She once happened to look at a pamphlet was
carrylng "Infantile Sickness" "What is it?" she
asked, surprised. "You see it gives you good remedv
it tells you how to cure the worst sickness of alb
How did you come to it? See it advertized in the
troles? But you better read a good book" and she
fetches me "True Story" 1 felt embarrassed little
The Noiseess SAM
My other neighbor is quiet like fish. "Marv. what
is his name?" 81 don't know, did he Just come up re-
cently? "Oh, no. six months ago. but he never saws
word" found out later his name was Sam "Sam 81
SAID. L have a fine proposition for you Put a
sign on your mouth: "A voice can be rented from 8
to g. There very many who would be glad to have
some kind of voice. He does not understand "I am
busy Were you just dumb, when you worked on
pleceworkE But you see, then worked on my own
tune. But here we should not deceive Mr.. Smith, he
trusts us he pays us for every minute"
"Sam, you know something about slavery. don't Won
whip was used in the olden times but you have the
whip In your very blood and flesh" He lifted at me
his blue eyes, they tender like the ewes of lamb
He smiles childike and again his head is bent over
the work.
conscientious specimen of a slave