The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-06
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he'll fire us. And we can't afford
that"
An older girl, who has already
reached the staid age Of II, reports
that she worked at the presses so
hard that her side was strained and
she had to stay out Of work for nearly
a year.
did you get compensation" asked
one of the committee.
whats that?" asked the girl It
was explained, and she replied that
no such thing was had in her fac
tory.
Insulted and Abused.
Besides lies and exploitation Of the
worst sort, tale after tale pours from
the mouths of these children on the
demands Of the boss upon them, and
the loss of more than one job, due
to the fact that they repulSed the
vile invitations
'You shouldn't be such a dumbbe1,
money-why work in such factory
all your life7" A foreman, Weisberg
Of the D and D factory again and
again makes attacks upon the girls.
He feels us all over, and he don't
care where he puts his hands the
red-headed, 15-year-old reports. If
they resent the attentions they are
Immediately prosecuted or fired.
! At the Adelphi plant girls were
urged to go out with the New York
buyers. you can earn more If you
go out with them, than if you work
here" If they refuse, there are
plenty OF others ready to fill their
demands.
"Such God damn dumb girls, I'll
show you how to make your living"
from another foreman Of the Clyde
Shirt Co. 81 don't want to make
it that way. I'd sooner make de-
cent living So I quit. But needed
the dough, SO my mother tried and
got me back He made me do all the
work over twice, and never would let
me earn more than dollar or so.
He'd curse me and yell at me, but I
told him, you didn't fire me be-
cause didn't do my work right, you
| fired. me because I wouldn't let you
fell me all over. So he called me
Don't touch me Elsie and fired
me again"
"And my brother, he's 81, and
can't find job anywhere, and he
really should work. I had to stop
school in the sixth grade; should
be in school"
Testimony was given by girl after
girl, of foul names hurled at them,
OF curses and slapS and socks in the
jaw, of throwing one little boy down
the steps, because he was SO tired he
fell asleep. and then when he went
to the squire, the squire said: Il can't
do anything for you, I'm too old"
Abuse Upon Abuse.
The children told of being put in
the toilet when the inspector came,
so that he would not be able to en-
ter and see the miserable condition
of the lavatories, of finding bedbugs
and reaches from the dirty toilets in
their lunch, of burning themselves on
the hot irons, after working for fif-
teen hours, and often more a day.
Stories that bring back to mind
the conditions Of the early factories
during the 18th century In England;
Of children falling asleep over their
work, as one child did more than
once; of girls pressing shirts for
hours on end. No lunch period, no
rest time, and no pay for hours upon
hours Of overtime.
Stories of children getting TB. In
these sweatshops, due to the gas
leakages in the plants; of the cold
winters, working in the place with no
heat, with the children so cold that
they had TO work in their coats and
hats, and often they would take off
their coats and hats and wrap them
around their feet so that they would
be able to go ahead with their work;
of getting docked ten cents of their
lousy two or three dollars pay. for a
cleanup woman, who was paid IS q
week, one dollar or even more Of
which was stolen and pocketed by
the foreman.
The children in the FREEZER mill
told of being asked to buy one dollar
tickets for Jewish dance, and, If
they refused, the gate for them. OF
girls going blind as they toiled over
the shirts, because the boss permit
ted no electricity to be turned on.
The girls told Of being forced to
take off time to clean the toilets,
before the inspectors arrived, and
not being paid for the work. OF the
pressers, who get IA cents dozen
for ironing the shirts, starching them,
putting the cardboards into them and
pinning them into place; Of the cuff
fers, who got two cents dozen;
the yokers, cent and half per
dozen, and the trimmers even less.
Many times when the toilets over
flowed the children had to stop work
ing and wipe the floors that 1t
wouldn't go under the table and wet
their feet while they were at work
They told stories of how the fire
escape windows were nailed up in
several of the factories, so that they
wouldn't have to bother with put
ting in window panes, and then when
the inspectors would come around
the nail would be taken out.
Adults Not Wanted.
I'VE don't want you in the shop"
is the sweatshop owners cry to the
working men and women. Eve want
only the young boys and girls"
A mother Of five children reported
that she gets at the highest So