Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/788

 758 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

the Hecla Iron Works, of Brooklyn. Parks admitted receiving some $2,000 from this establishment in April, 1902, as the price of ordering off a strike, but claimed that the money was used for union purposes. But the evidence in that instance, as well as in other cases of extortion by walking delegates, showed that the "union purposes" for the most part consisted in dividing a portion of the spoils, in greater or less sums, among lieutenants and sub-lieutenants, to the extent necessary to preserve loyalty, the process sometimes extending to members of the rank and file.

In behalf of Parks it is claimed that through his efforts the wages of housesmiths have been increased from about $2.50 to $4.50 per day, in the last four or five years. Possibly 25 per cent, of this might be credited to Parks's exertions; the rest came with the current economic drift. An unprecedented amount of construction of new " skyscrapers," extensive public improve- ments, tunnel- and bridge-building on a vast scale, not only in New York, but throughout the country, have created such a demand for structural iron-workers that contractors have had to bid for help, and in consequence wages inevitably rose. More- over, the general upward trend of wages and cost of living during the current period of abounding prosperity undoubtedly stimulated the movement in this special quarter.

Some workingmen declare, on the other hand, that their net income was actually greater with the previous lower wage rates than it is now with the losses occasioned by numerous and pro- longed strikes. Probably there is considerable truth in this; but so far as the hardships of the immediate situation are con- cerned, much exaggerated nonsense has gone out. Too much credence should not be given to the reports of widespread suf- fering, hundreds of " starving families," and the like. A large number of the belligerent housesmiths are not now in New York at all. From the beginning of the lockout they have been scat- tering far and wide, getting work in other places; and such as have done this are of course not drawing on the union's relief funds. This gradual thinning out of available men in New York adds to the difficulty of resuming work on a large scale.