The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-25
PATIENTS LIVE IN
"a CAR n MH-
CONSTANT FEAR
ON RANDALL ISLE
S45 a Month Is Wage
of Employees


The New York City Children's
Hospital, better known as Randall's
Island is typical of the hypocrisy of
capitalist "benevolence." Many. of
the patients have to do the hardest
and dirtiest kind of work, altho
they receive not a cent of wages
and are given the very poorest
grade of food and clothing.
A number Of the patients are
classified as feeble-minded, i.e.,
many of them were feeble-minded
enough to be caught playing some
kids trick and were then committed
to this hell from which there seems
to be no redemption by some learned
and respectable Tammany judge.
Yet their so-called feeble-minded-
ness does not save them from tor
turous long hours of labor nor pre-
vent the bosses, male and female,
from inflicting severe punishment
on them for the slightest error in
the hard and strenuous work.
Stops Beating.
A few months ago a plumbers
helper had to violate the rules and
regulations of the place and take his
chance of getting fired by rushing
into the building to prevent what
probably have been the murder of
one of the patients by his boss. For
this act the helper is said to have
received a severe reprimand. But
the semi-savage boss who inflicted
the punishment is still on the job.
Physical abuse seems to be the
favorite brand of medicine. Pa
tients live in state of perpetual
anxiety, ever in anticipation of the
next beating or humiliation to which
they may be subjected. The ribs
and other parts of the body become
targets for the punches and kicks
Of the bosses. One patient asked,
"What could our boss do with his
kicks and punches if we had no
ribs ?"
S45 Per Month.
In this dumping ground of capt.
talist wreckage the non-civiI service
employees are paid only $45 per
month, with the exception of few
old cronies who have succeeded in
working their way up" in the
bosses estimation. Yet these poor
ly paid employees do most of the
mechanical work, especially the
manual part of it, while the bosses
are discussing the coming election
prospects for Tammany Hall.
Boss Hope of the laundry depart
ment is reputed to be one of the
most cruel on the island. In his
department are many patients who
are compelled to do the filthiest and
hardest work. In addition Hopes
chosen form of amusement is to
beat them around with a broom.
Boss Sargent of the mechanical
department, due to his arrogance
and egoism, is alleged to be one of
the most notorious slave-drivers on
the island. He is an individual of
the cringing type, who will crawl
to those above him and crush, if
possible, those below him. His
face and foghorn voice are used to
spread fear amongst his slaves.
Some of them call him Ivan the
Terrible"
Boss Turner of the agricultural
gang watched his men as closely as
bird of prey would watch its next
intended victim. He stands over
his men all day long as erect as
pirate.
Meat Is "Profane."
The dietician runs her depart
ment in accordance with strict
jesuitical rules. The unholy odor
of meat is not allowed to profane
the kitchen or dining room Fridays
or Roman fast days. Yet those who
work for her do not hesitate to
: say that her attitude does not COM
: ply with the so-called christian
principles.
This Island is not lacking in the
modern means of capitalist propa-
ganda. 1t is we'll equipped with the
movies, radio and churches, all in
tended to befog the minds of the
workers and keep them from doing
any serious thinking.
This capitalist propaganda is not,
however. having its full effect.
Many of the workers are class-con-
scious and those who a"o not are
conscious of their degradation. They
know just what to expect. They re-
gard the bosses and the manage
ment of the place as the meek and
obediant cubs of the Tammany
tiger.
The Daily Worker, though it has
to be taken there and read in secret,
is nevertheless the most influential
newspaper among the workers. This
we cannot fail to consider a bright
indication. 1t indicates that the fast
looming on the horizon are the rays
of proletarian emancipation.
C. B.
MEyICO III 0OD TAKES TOLL