use it in such a way as to cleave through to the widest circle of its
audience. Hence the cover. Probably in all his long pastorate, Henry Ward
Beecher was never more criticized than when he emphasized the auction of
two fugitive slave girls at the Broadway Tabernacle. Those who in his day
were shocked at what they felt to be sensationalism and the desecration
of God’s temple have given way in the passage of time to those who see
that the desecration was mankind’s in the toleration of slavery itself.
Dr. Abbott in his life of Beecher says:
“He believed that thousands who would regard with apathy if not
complacency the slave system at a distance, would regard with
abhorrence the reform of an individual slave girl to a life of
enforced sin and shame....
“He said: ‘The very men who give counsel and zeal and money
_against_ the unseen slave of the South irresistibly pity the
particular fugitive whom they may _see_ running through the
North.’
“Had he been inclined to defend his method from those who
criticized it as sensational, he might have referred them to
the methods used by the Hebrew prophets, who taught so often
and so effectually by dramatic object-lessons.”
New times bring new needs.
Miss Eberle has modeled the auction block of a new slavery.
In the Brooklyn _Eagle_ of April 21 appeared a powerful sermon by Dr.
Hillis from Dr. Beecher’s old pulpit on social diseases and heredity,
in which such strong language as the following was used in speaking of
the “conspiracy of silence”: “It is a guilty, cruel, dastardly, damnable
silence on the part of preacher, teacher and parent.”—Ed.
FOOTNOTES:
[2] See Rockefeller Report on Commercialized Vice. THE SURVEY, May 24, p.
257.
[3] See Post-graduates of the Hired Man, by R. R. Reeder, superintendent
of New York Orphanage, Hastings on Hudson, who is the educator and foster
father to 250 boys and girls. THE SURVEY, March 8, p. 816.
THE PATERSON STRIKE
TO THE EDITOR:
For a number of years I have been a reader and subscriber of THE SURVEY
and it both shocks and pains me to find that THE SURVEY has apparently
taken a biased view of the strike here in Paterson. I understand that
several SURVEY investigators have been to Paterson before preparing
the news items on pages 81-82 and 83 in your issue of April 19. These
investigators did not call upon those in our city to whom it seems to me
they should naturally have turned, the Charity Organization Society. If
they had, they would not have made some of the glaring and ill-advised
statements contained in your editorial.
They would have been better posted as to the type of looms which they
have called multiple or automatic looms throughout the article. Both
names so far as applied to silk are erroneous. All broad silk looms with
few exceptions are supplied with either side or center filling stop
motions. This stops the loom when the thread in the shuttle breaks. This
has been common for years and does not constitute an automatic loom. Some
looms have been equipped with warp stop motions, stopping the loom when a
warp end breaks. This does not constitute an automatic loom. An automatic
loom is one in which either the shuttle, which has already been filled
with new thread, or quill or bobbin changes automatically. It would also
very likely be equipped with both warp and filling stop motions. Such
looms as last mentioned have never proven satisfactory on silk.
In the article you make certain statements but have not made them
clearly. As your paper is read by many charitable and philanthropic
people, it is hardly fair to the charitable and philanthropic people of
Paterson to have such statements as you have made concerning Paterson
go forth to the world without objections on our part. You have not made
clear the meaning of the three and four loom system. The word system, as
used here, has an arbitrary meaning and means one weaver to three or four
looms. You state that Paterson is “importing” the four loom system. This
is not true because there is nothing to import.
You further made a statement that competition between Pennsylvania and
New Jersey is over. This is not so, it is just as keen today as ever. You
further make a statement that great factories are equipped with automatic
looms in Pennsylvania, four of these looms being operated by one boy or
girl.[4] Can you name a single mill where this is so? I have been fifteen
years calling on the silk mills and I have yet to learn of an automatic
loom being used to weave silk or where four looms are operated by a boy
or girl. You further make a statement that weavers are required to tend
three looms. I think this is wrong. There is no question but that they
could operate three to four looms of their own free will, but there is no
compulsion about it.[5]
In quoting from the _Paterson Evening News_ you infer that an additional
strain is placed on a weaver in taking care of three or four looms. If
this is so, it remains to be proven. I have talked about this with a
number of weavers and they state that they have not noticed this fact,
if it is one. You further imply that it will change the character of
work in Paterson if the three and four loom system is put in operation.
I think this is a mis-apprehension because only about 40 per cent of the
looms of Paterson, of which there are about 16,000 would be affected in
any way by this so-called three and four loom system. As you quoted, in
a statement made by the silk manufacturers, only a percentage of these
would be affected because many plain looms have jacquards mounted over
them and the manufacturers have never attempted to run more than two
looms of this nature to one weaver, nor does the so-called three and four
loom system reduce the wages. I know of one mill in this town that is in
operation today despite the fact of the strike where sixteen looms are
being operated by three weavers. One of these weavers in this particular
mill has been operating four looms since last October and her earnings
have averaged over $75 every two weeks.
Further along you say the multiple looms are large and equipped with
automatic devices and can only be installed in large mills. This is
absolutely incorrect. There is nothing to prevent a small mill from using
any loom that is now manufactured. The smaller mill, in only a few cases,
has so far taken over jacquard weaving which is the most intricate of all
the weaving, and requires the most skill, and as intimated, is largely
confined to the large factories. The smaller mills are mostly equipped
with plain looms. Quite a few of these are mills running three to four
looms to a weaver.
In making your contrast of the average wages paid in Paterson and the
average paid in Pennsylvania, have you been fair? According to the
reports which I have, the weavers of Paterson earn on an average about
$12.55 a week and I am afraid in taking your Pennsylvania average you
included all classes of textile workers, including the very low paid help
in throwing mills, so cutting the average Pennsylvania wage down.[6]
The employers have not refused to confer with their employes except
that they have rightly refused to treat with the Industrial Workers of
the World agitators towards this settlement. You have not made clear
the doctrines or propaganda of the Industrial Workers of the World whom
you have called Industrial Socialists. The Socialists as you know have
repudiated Haywood. Your statements in regard to the arrest of William D.
Haywood and his subsequent release when arrested on March 30 are correct.
I sincerely hope that you will immediately send other investigators
to Paterson who will call on the Charity Organization Society and the
ministers who formed the committee invited to the aldermanic meeting,
Rev. A. H. Stein, Rev. D. S. Hamilton, Rev. W. C. Snodgrass, Rev. J. F.
Shaw and Dr. Jones. I would also suggest some of the business men of the
town whose stores you could enter along Main street or Market street.
I would suggest William Wieda; John C. Mason, Quackenbush & Co.; A. P.
Van Saun, Van Dyk Furniture Co.; Ex-Judge Francis Scott; Ex-Judge James
Inglis; John W. Ferguson; H. H. Parmelee; Hamilton Trust Co.; Edward T.
Bell, First National Bank; and Wm. H. Blauvelt, Second National Bank.
I would suggest that you call attention to the articles in The Survey of
May 4, 1912 and April 6, 1912 telling about the Industrial Workers of the
World. I am also enclosing an article written by Lincoln Steffens in the
Globe and Commercial Advertiser of March 29, 1912.
Will you kindly publish this letter in fairness not only to Paterson but
to the “things” THE SURVEY stands for, as your news items contain so many
technical errors which have a vital bearing to a certain extent on this
strike?
W. L. KINKEAD.
[Secretary Central Charities Committee.]
Paterson, N. J.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] See Note A below.
[5] See Note B below.
[6] See Note C below.
* * * * *
[THE SURVEY is more than willing to accept Mr. Kinkead’s corrections
as to looms and textile processes, for his business is mill machinery.
It does not quite agree with him, however, as to the importance of the
matter, since the technical terms were incidental merely to the subject
of the strike.
Three points in Mr. Kinkead’s letter should perhaps be footnoted:
A. The three and four loom systems are now in use in
Pennsylvania. The federal report on the Condition of Woman
and Child Wage-Earners in the United States, says: “In
Pennsylvania, where the broad silks manufactured are of the
plainer grades, not requiring the skill, efficiency and
attention given to the higher grades made in Paterson, woman
and child weavers have the field practically to themselves.”
B. Mr. Kinkead would certainly not wish to maintain that,
when the change is made from a two to a four loom system, the
earnings of weavers, who preferred to stick to two looms, would
not be cut. If you cut a chair caner’s wage from ten to eight
cents a chair, there is no compulsion for him to make more
chairs than before; but he does if he has a family hanging on
his earnings. The silk manufacturer who, when he makes the
change, pays a weaver more than before if he will work four
looms instead of two, and less than before if he continues to
work two is merely dodging if he claims there is no compulsion
about it.
C. A more accurate analysis of the government figures would
give the average wage of Paterson weavers as $11.80 instead of
$11.69; that of the Pennsylvania weavers as $6.99 instead of
$6.56. The error that Mr. Kinkead suggests was, however, not
made.
As a matter of fact, such a staff inquiry as Mr. Kinkead suggests has
been in progress and in the June magazine number THE SURVEY will publish
an article by John A. Fitch.—Ed.]
JOTTINGS
DRAMATIZING THE PATERSON STRIKE
Seizing on the suggestion that some master of pageantry ought to give
symbolic expression to the mass strike, a leader of the Paterson strike
proposed that the silk workers should themselves present to the public
the meaning of its chief incidents. Within a few days Madison Square
Garden had been rented for June 7, and large committees, composed in no
small degree of volunteers from the 10,000 silk strikers in New York
city, were at work on the details of the arrangements.
A pageant of six episodes has been planned by John Reed, a magazine
writer who was himself arrested on the Paterson picket line a few weeks
ago.
The episodes, as interpreted by the pageant committee, divide themselves
into two groups: the one representing the struggle of the strikers
against economic and legal tyranny; the other, the democratic government
of the strike by the workers.
Brief titles of the episodes are: The Mills Alive—The People Dead—The
Strike; The Mills Dead—The People Alive—The Picket Line and Arrests;
Forty Pickets before an Irresponsible Judge; The Strike Victim’s Funeral;
The Striking Mothers Send their Children to Strike Mothers in New York;
The Legislature of the Strikers in Helvetia Hall Passes the Eight Hour
Law. The strike leaders, in this last scene, will give propaganda
speeches addressed to the audience. Their speeches are to be the only
monologues in the performance.
A thousand strikers will march from Paterson to New York to take part in
the pageant. The music will be furnished by their mass singing and by
their bands which now play at all large strike meetings. Both the actors
and singers are being trained by John Reed.
CITY FATHERS TO FOREGATHER
At Binghamton on June 5-7 the mayors and other municipal officials of
New York state are to hold their fourth annual conference. Each of the
forty-eight mayors is to tell in five minutes what is the greatest
problem of his city.
VACANT LOT GARDENING IN TORONTO
Toronto has joined the ranks of the cities in which there is an active
vacant lot gardening movement. Over thirty parcels of vacant land in
the business section of the city have been loaned to the Playgrounds
Association and prepared for gardening by the Plowmen’s Association of
York Township.
Early in this month the actual tilling began and the start of the new
venture was celebrated by a dinner to the plowmen on the evening of that
day. Seeds and implements have been promised so that the children will
have everything necessary for successful gardening.
May 31, 1913