The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-01
WAGES S7-S12
Per week IN
IRVING MILLS
Must Organize to Fight
Bosses
(By a Worker Correspondent

10y w OFKef COfTeSpOnuentJ
CHESTER, Pa, (By Mail).-
From time to time we read of "pros-
perity" under this Coolidge govern
ment. Right here in this republi-
can stronghold, which is ruled and
dominated by those henchmen of
the bosses, the McClures, who have
: ruled by every high handed meth
cd of corruption, there exists some
of the worst industrial conditions
endured by any workers. OF late
many extreme cases of suffering
have been caused by the speed-up
system and the lack of adequate
protection from dangerous machin-
cry.
Speed-Up Mains Child.
One case is that of Anna Bel
mont, 15-year-old worker whe was
employed at the Irving Woosted
Mills. While following the work as
signed to her, that of doffer, she
was later compelled to operate a
spinning machine. While so doing,
her finger was amputated, due to
defective machinery, inexperience at
this job, and the speed-up system
in the Irving mill.
The machine she was working on
had no guards around it to protect
the worker from being injured.
The girl was compelled to wait one
hour before the bosses had her tax
en- to the hospital, and anyone who
has suffered much less pain will un-
derstand how this child suffered un-
til the company was pleased to ease
her suffering. There is law in
Pennsylvania, according to which
child labor is prohibited, but the
law does not prevent it.
The employment agent, Miss
Ford, told the girl on the second day
after the accident that she would be
able to come to work the next day.
In addition, this lackey of the COM
pany wanted the child worker to
sign papers which offered 81 a week
for IA weeks.
School Day, Deduct From Wages.
The wages of this girl for a full
week were $3.50 yet when she went
to school one day week, $3.50 was
deducted from her pay.
The working conditions in this
mill are deplorable. There is no
soap, no towels, the s:rl workers
must furnish their Own aprons. The
mems toilets and the women's toilets
are right next to each other; no such
thing as privacy. The women and
girls have to change their clothes
behind the machines they work on.
The textile workers, many of them
mere children, are herded together
like cattle, breathing the foul stencil
of the goods they handle, their thin
bodies stopped over the machines for
ten hours daily. With all these con-
ditions, the average wage is but 81
to S12 per week, with the possible
exception of few skilled workers.
1t is high time the exploited work
ers in the Irving mills formed a
united front against their exploiters.
The time sbas come when the work
ers in every mill in Chester should
rise against the inhuman tactics of
the bosses Organize to fight your
bosses, workers of Chester. You
must realize that the only protec-
ton is in the form of militant tex
tile union with every worker a mem
Der. For information regarding real
ways of fighting for better condi-
tons, come to 120 West Bird St.,
Chester, Penn. Every assistance will
be gladly given. Organize for less
hours, more wages, and better con-
ditions- Join the National Textile
Workers Union &C. F. R.