The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-27
9oreign-Born Workers in the USA

owner to pay shipping master $50 for the con-
tract which gave him a grown mans work for
five years.
Once the indentured servant found himself at
work in his new home, however, he realized that
he would have been just as well off in his old
home
He found himself an actual slave. He could
not marry without his masters permission, If
he did so another year was added to the term
of his indenture.
For every offense whether he tried to run
away or whether he failed to take off his cap
in his lords presence, days months, years could
be added to the term of the bond-servants
slavery.
In 1910, the governor of one colony estab-
lished military penal system for indentured
servants The slightest violation of discipline
was punished by the most wanton brutality.
Although Negro chattel slavery continued to
grow at the same time the use of indentured
workers continued long after the United States
won its independence from England because the
white slaves represented a smaller cash invest
ment.
After century or more, European workers
began to learn that going to America only meant
exchanging one hell for another and bond
servants became harder to get.
Then workers on this side Of the Atlantic we're
bribed to write letters to their relatives and
friends at home telling of the glorious oppor
tunities for life and wealth which the New
World offered In addition, there had grown up
many settlements in which child labor could be
used To supply this want shipping agents stole,
kidnapped and bought boys and girls under IA
years of age and shipped them to the Promised
Land"
immigration continued and increased. FROM
1852 to 1904 the number of white immigrant
slaves in Pennsylvania grew so large that during
the last 10 years of this period they were two
thirds OF the total population of the state.
Most of them were Germans who had come
here to escape the feudal horrors of their own
countries.
But while they were being enslaved, abused
and oppressed, Benjamin Franklin said about
them in letter to friend
"Those who come hither are generally the
most stupid of their own nation, and as ignor-
ance is often attended with great credulity,
when knavery would nisead it, it is almost i'm
possible to remove any prejudice they enter
tain
But even as a tradition Of enslavng foreign
born workers was growing up, SO there began
10 grow spirit of rebellion against the class
of masters who looked on the sweat blood and
bones of foreign workers merely as the raw
materials from which to build personal fortunes.
The Boston Chronicle for September 20, 1853
reports:
"News came that on August II about 200 Of
the Spaniards and Italians introduced by DR..
Turnbull, and which he was settling at Mus
quito's, rose and seized a schooner which was
employed in carrying provisions to the settle
ment Thye tried to capture other vessels and
get away to Havana but the wind was against
them. An express was sent to st. Augustine.
Two soops full of troops were sent to prevent
them from getting away from Musquito's. The
troops arriving, the Spanards took to the
bushes 1t is apprehended that Dr. Turnbull
will have much trouble with the Spaniards he
introduced"
(Tomorrow's article viii deal with the two
main trends In the history Of American I'm
misrstion.) -, ~e-r