The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-04-11
Cleveland's Man-a-Block Prosperity
BY GRoPPER

for childrens Fairgrounds where I washed
flower pots for two hours in q green-house
where florist is employed to cultivate flowers
and grow plants for the exclusive use OF "My
Lord" That for one day. Back home hiked
the distance much slower.
Tuesday on the job again at am. Cleaned
up the garage and picked up the trash on the
estate Of another one of our leading citizens
After working about an hour, the owner having
left the house, the cook called me to the door
ana gave me ham sandwich and cup of cof-
fee, telling me to eat it in the garage, for fear
her employer would return, in which case the
cook would be fired The cook went on to tell
me that her mistress gave them all strict orders
not to give any hungry men anything to eat and
let all the food that is left be thrown in the
garbage.
From there I travelled up three blocks to an
other home where the Lady of Leisure had the
work all mapped out for me. was to wash and
polish up one automobile and polish another
machine, then clean all the garage windows
(She had 1t figured out 50 that she would save
at least So on the job.
Wednesday, with stin plenty Of ambition, my
first two hours were taken up scrubbing two
floors and marble hallway, which took up
every last minute of my time The next two
hours 7 was picking up what the dog on the
estate was leaving behind beside the papers and
broken twigs. also washed the garage windows
Here the cook managed 10 give me a meal OF
corned beef and cabbage.
Thursday morning my first JOB consisted OF
busting the cellar pipes and washing the whole
basement. Here the home was as beautiful
as 1t was large. The owner told me that she
did all the work herself only hiring maid for
day or two when she expected company. She
said further that she was very strict in how her
work must be done, and very economical; no
electric lights burned unnecessary SO that when
was In one part Of the cellar the lights must
be out on the other side. She frankly stated
that she ran the estate as though she had not
penny to her name and only by such rigid
economy had she accumulated her wealth. The
second part Of the day was given the task of
washing and polishing two machines, cleaning
the garage and sweeping the walks
Friday, the last day Of my employment I
began by cleaning cellar that had plenty OF
accumulated dirt and large enough to take up
the full two hours. The last two hours OF nv
Job was devoted to picking up trash and more
dog excreta. Here the owner had an estate oc-
cupying full city block. No more meals that
day. but my week was done. had worked
twenty-five hours. 1t was the first time in over
two years that had worked for wages. went
back to my captains headquarters and was told
TO wait until his chauffeur returned from max
ing the rounds Of the homes to collect the dol
lars. After half an hour he returned with the
sad news that he could collect only eight dol
lars Of the amount (and that's among our mil
lionaire friends) For the other three dollars I
would have to wait until Monday, when I would
start the same process over again and so on
until my ten weeks will be up. BY that time.
dear comrades, everything will be running
smoothly again.
In talking with the hired help found that
very few are making good living; that all the
helps wages we're cut the first of the year; that
there is plenty of food wasted in these homes
but not meal for poor man. The homes
have plenty of food both domestic and imported:
their garages are well stocked with automobiles;
reception and parties are given with as much
frequency as OF yore and that the mistresses
idle their time away having their chauffem's
drive them from one millionaire friend to an
other
And so my unemployed friends that Is the
way the unemployed problem has been tackled
"a Saasyssss se IRE sxtaae & an ssR sQian