Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/144

118 weaver and spinner. This is of course an arrangement of a mutually advantageous kind. The factory owners are not simple philanthropists, but some commercial men who act according to the principle underlying the well know saying that „business is business“. Indeed, they take particular care that the good name of their establishments does not suffer from the faulty execution of the work entrusted to the hands of the home workers. On return of the finished goods, the material is examined with the aid of a strong magnifying glass by an inspector at the factory, to see if the proper number of threads have been worked into the square centimeter. It is also measured and weighed; and if there be fault or deficiency: a fair amount is deducted from the sum allowed for a perfect job. However, much to the credit of our village weavers, cases of faulty workmanship are „few and far between“.

In the north district, an expert workman earns from 4 s 2 d to 5 s per week when making oxford shirtings or canvass and 4 s 2 d for towel-work; while on table linen, he can earn as much as 10 s per week.

In the district of Landskroun, the weavers work under very unfavourable conditions, hard description of material to weave and a twelve hours working day. Weaving fustian, a man frequently will only earn 2 s 1 d per week. In the production of linen linings, sack or sail-cloth even the most expert workman rarely gets more than 5 s for his week's labour.

Weavers of textiles for upholstery or furniture work get 6 s 8 d to 16 s 8 d per week. These goods are chiefly exported to Germany, Italy, the Balkan peninsula and China.

These poor toilers stick to their native soil, feeling isolated, living in a little world of their own, they know nothing of the great outer world, and exhibit little energy. If contentment be a virtue, then they possess it, if it be „great gain“ as the proverb teaches, then they have won it. Even in specially hard times they seem to fortify themselves with the very spirit of contentment and together-husband, wife and children bear their burden of cares bravely.