Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/622

 608 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

some time during the year contagious diseases. Among these were two cases each of smallpox and diphtheria. It cannot be ascertained from the report whether garments were being made at those times.

The irregularity and uncertainty of employment is shown by the fact that only 44 of the workers were employed for 52 weeks, while 24 were employed for from 48 to 27 weeks, and 47 for 26 weeks. A few had some other employment for a part of the time. The average time of employment of all the workers was 31.18 weeks. In II cases out of 55 the hours were between 60 and 96 per week. Three people were working 96 hours per week. In 21 cases the hours were 60 per week, while 15 of the 55 workers had less than 48 hours' employment per week.

One of the most significant facts, however, is the rate of pay per hour. It was possible to ascertain this in only 52 instances. In only 30 of these was the rate as high as 5 cents per hour, in only 1 1 of the latter is it as high as 10 cents, and in no case does it exceed 25 cents. Two extreme cases may be noted. A housewife button-sewer working 60 hours each week at 40 cents per week (a rate of two-thirds of a cent an hour!) in 52 weeks of the year earned $21. A housewife pants-finisher working 66 hours each week at 30 cents per week (a rate of five-elevenths of a cent an hour!) in 48 weeks earned $14.* The lowest rates are found among the housewife pants-finishers ( T 5 T, i^, i|, 2, 2^, 3f, 5 cents), the housewife seamstresses (i^, I T 7 F , 2f, 2f-f, 4^, 6f, 8^, n^ cents), and one housewife button- sewer (f cent). The tailors receive the highest rate (5, 5, 6^, 7^, I if, i if, 131, 1 3|, 15, 20, 25, 25 cents). The great varia- tion in the prices paid for nearly the same grade of work is brought out by the figures for the housewife seamstresses. This is one of the greatest injustices and evils of the whole system, and might be found in less aggravated form, perhaps, even among more intelligent people.

Forty-three of the workers were receiving less than $i per week, 63 had $i or $2, and only 57 received more than $3 per

1 See Ninth Special Report of the Commissioner of Labor, on The Italians in Chi- cago, Family Nos. 140 and 205.