The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-09-23
By ELLEN WETHERELL.

l stepped from the train at Column
bia, South Carolina. 1t was beauti-
full March morning. The grass was
green, the trees were in bud, and
the sunshine lay warm over all the
land. | had come from the frozen
hills of the North in search OF a
climate; also in search of informa-
ton in regard to the first cotton
mills OF the state.
I took my landlady into my con-
fidence. She hunted up book, en-
titled, "The Hand Book of South
Carolina" I opened it, and found
on its first pages as attractive a
picture of bourgeoisie stupidity and
cupridity, as Charles Dickens found
in the Circumlocution Office in Lon
don. l read it and was incluned to
laugh, but the whistles of the mills,
calling the workers at $50 stayed
all rnerriment on my part. The fol-
lowing is what ready in 1.-THE Hand
Book Of South Carolina"
From August Kohn's Summary
of the History of the Cotton Indus
try" "The South Carolina Homespun
Company of Charleston, 1903, was
the most important and pretentious
undertaking in the cotton mills in
dustry up to this time. The ex-
ercises incident to the laying Of the
cornerstone brought gathering of
three thousand people, and the occa-
sion seems to have been one of great
Importance to Charleston.
"The address was delivered by the
Right Worshipful William Smith,
and is a general dissertation on the
beauties of Labor and the glories
of the State of South Carolina. 1T
is most interesting to read con-
tinues Mr.. Kohn, after more than
enc hundred years, what Mr.. Lloyd,
the head of the Masonic Order of
South Carolina, said in his most
memorable address about the pros
pective cotton mills! Here will be
found never failing asylum for the
friendless. orphans and the bereft
widows. The distribution of labor
and the improvement in machinery,
happily combine to call into profit
able employment the tender services
of those who have just sprung from
the cradle, as we'll as those who are
tottering to the grave; thus, train
ing up the little innocents to early
and wholesome habits of honest in
dustry, and smoothing the wrinkled
front Of decrepitude with the smiles
of competency and protection. Here
too, will be found an everlasting
refuge for those unfortunates Of
other climes, expatriated with their
useful talents, by the grim hand Of
unrelenting depotism, and the in
tolerable pressure Of taxation and
hunger, waited by the signs Of fell
low misery, to seek liberty and bread
en- these happy shores"
Can't See Out.
l closed the book and went into
the mills. noticed that the window
panes weer painted, ! asked the
reason for this Of the conductor OF
the trolley car. The man gave a
loud laugh, saying, $50 the hands
cant see out, Of course" / stopped
before the great iron gates Of the
Cranky Mills. A crowd Of little
children had gathered there, all
carrying pals and baskets. 1t was
near the noon hour, and the children
had come to the mill with lunch for
their fathers and mothers who work.
cd in the mills. Later I followed
these workers back into the mills.
The CRANKY was one Of the smallest
mills of Columbia. The children
looked old, pinched, and hungry. I
put a question to one Of them. "Do
YOU work in the mill?"
"Np" drawled the child, Use stays
home, to min the chil'len. We'un's
fathers and mothers works"
GLOW old are you and how many
arc there Of you?'
use ten, and there is six Of
we'uns."
"Do you so to school?'
The child cast her eyes to the
= A.