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Industrial Post

Date: August 27th, 1889

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To The Editor Letters DearMr.Editor

MynameisCalvinBroadusJr.andIworkattheLondonCottonandTextilesfactory.Ihavealovingwifeand2children,bothboys.Weoriginallylivedinthecountrysideworkingasfarmers,butwemovedtoLondonwhenallthesefactoryjobsbecameavailable.ThoughthehoursmysonandIworkarelongandtiring,Iworkabout60hoursaweekandmysonworksapproximately41.Weworkinfactoriessodirtytheywouldnotbefitforrats,andweearnverylittlewagesatall.Weslaveoverdangerousmachineryforhoursonend,yetthepersonwhoismakingtherealmoneyisthemansittinginhisofficedoingnothingatall.WhilemyfamilyandIeatwatereddownsoupandstalebread,thebigfactoryownerseat3coursemealsanddrinkwine.IreadoverTheCommunistManifestobyMarxandhesays“oppressorandoppressed,stoodinconstantoppositiontooneanother,carriedonanuninterrupted,nowhidden,nowopenfight,afightthateachtimeended,eitherinarevolutionaryreconstitutionofsocietyatlarge,orinthecommonruinofthecontendingclasses.”Ifwedonotseechangessoon,peoplearegoingtofightforthosechangesandwewillnotstopuntilwearesatisfied.Bewarned,ifwegodownsobeit,butwewilltakethebourgeoisiewithus.

Sincerely,

CalvinBroadusJr.andTheProletariat

DearEditor,

Asyouknow,theeconomyhascometogrowanddevelop,andassuchitsneedshavechanged.Oneofthesechangesisthatchildrenarenowgiventasksintheworkplace.They

havebecomeworkersinandofthemselves,onlytheyarelessadeptatmaintainingtheirownsafetyonthefactoryfloor.

AsamotherIamhorrifiedbywhatIhavecometohearasoflatewhenmychildrenreturn

fromthelate‐weekslabor.Theyarebatteredandworn,withcirclesundertheireyesthatagethembytenyears.Theysitdownatthetable,anddescribethehorrificaccidentsthey

see.Theyspeakofagirl,whowascaughtontheshaftofthemachinery.Shewasrepetitiouslythrownagainstthewall,andbythetimeshehadbeensuccessfullyremoved

fromthegears,shehadlostherrightleg.Anotheraccountthatmychildrenspeakof,arethatofwhichtheysawanewboy,hardlysevenyearsold,beatenandweary.Itwashisfirst

day,andwasunawarethatrestingbeforethedesignatedbreaktimewouldresultinalashing.Heseemedasthoughhewereabouttovomit,andyethewasnotallowedanytime

tore‐cooperate.

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Hewastoldtoendurehisfear,pain,andnauseaforthecourse

offivehours,andthenhemayrest.Bytheendoftheshift,hecouldbarelystand.Howcanonestandby,andallowthisatrocitytocontinue?Thinkofthechildren!Progressisallwell

todo,butatwhatcost?

Sincerely,

LadyThomasAgathaSmith

DearEditor,Ithinkthatchildlaborisagoodthing.Withoutitwewouldn’tbeabletohavealltheworkcompletedintimebecause,thereareonlysomanyadults.BesidesaccordingtoTheRoyalCommissionthechildrengetpaidmoreandworklessthanthekidsthatworkoutsideoffactories.Alsofactoriesaremostlikelytheeasiestjobbecauseallyoudoisstandinthesameplaceanddothesamethingoverandoveragain,itismucheasierthanashopmanjob.Ifyouworkashopmanjobittakesdaystomakeonitemandyoumakeallofitratherthanonepart.Anotherpointthatshouldbemadeisthattheygettreatedverywell.IknowbecauseIamafactoryowner.IhaveproofbecauseDr.AndrewUrecametomyfactoryandothers.HeevenwroteabookcalledThePhilosophyofManufactures.Hestatesthat“Ill‐treatmentofanykindisveryrare.IhavevisitedmanyfactoriesinManchesterandIhaveneveronceseenachildbeaten...Theyshowednoexhaustionwhentheyleftatnight;theyimmediatelybegantoskipaboutandtoplaygames.”Thisshowsthatthereisnoharmtochildlaborandthatthereiseverythinggoodabout. Sincerely, AdamHooks,FactoryOwnerinManchester

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SpinningJenny‐Isitworthit?By:HannahHlystek

TheSpinningJennywasthemachineofthecenturyitwasstatedinthenewsarticlecalledhow

stuffworks.TheSpinningJennywascreatedfromtheideaofseeingaSpinningWheelrollawayfromJamesHargreaves.WatchingthisgaveJamesHargreavestheideathatheshouldmakeanautomaticwheel.TheSpinningJennymakesitsomanufacturerscanproduceyarninlargequantities.SincetheSpinningJennyproducedtheyarnfaster,clothescouldbemadeevenfaster.AcoupleofyearsearlieramannamedJohnKaymadealoomcalledtheFlying

Shuttle.ThiscombinedwiththeSpinningJennyenabledBritaintobethefirstcountrytomassproducecloth,whichmadeitsoitwasthecheapestcountrytobuytheclothfrom.

JamesHargreavesnamedtheSpinningJennyafterhiswife.Itwasmadeoutofwoodandhadeightspindles.Itwasmadeliketheoriginalwheelswhereyouwoulddriveitbyhandandspuntheyarn.Thedifferenceisthatwiththeeightspindlestheywouldalsobegoingatthesame

timemovingsimultaneouslywiththeoneyouwereweaving.

ThereweresomebigdifferencebetweentheSpinningJennyandthespinningwheel.ThespinningJennywasbuiltsomanufacturerswereabletousemorethanoneballofyarnonthewheelinsteadoftheoneballofyarn.Thismakesitsoonepersoncandotheworkofmany.AgainthismakesitsoBritaincanmassproduceyarnanddistributeittoothercountries.

TheSpinningJennyhasunfortunatelycausedmanyproblemswithsociety.Accordingtoan

ObservationontheLossofWoollenSpinning‐peoplethinkthatbecausethewomenarenowworkinginafactorywiththeSpinningJennythattheyarenotlearningthethingstobeagoodwife.Theythinkthisbecausenowthewomenareworkinginfactoriesfromagesixtosixteenworkingonmachinesfrommorningtillnight,sotheyarenotlearningtheessentialstobecome

agoodwife.

TherehasalsobeenmanyinjuriesandfatalitiesfromworkingwiththeSpinningJenny.LeonardHorner,afactoryinspector,hedescribedtomeaboutwhathadhappenedtoagirl

thatwasworkingwithSpinningJenny.Hestates“Shewascaughtby herapronwhichwrappedaroundthehaft.Shewhirledroundandrepeatedlyforcedbetweentheshaftsandcarding

engine.Herrightlegwasfoundsomedistanceaway.”TheseincidentsmadepeoplethinkthatSpinningJenny’saretoodangerous.

ThepositivesofthisinventionarethatthecountryofBritainisabletomassproduceclothanddistributetomanyothercountries.TheSpinningJEnnyalsomadeitsotherewerefactoryjobsavailable,butithadpeoplegetkilledandhurtseverelytomakethecloth.Sothequestionstill

stands,istheSpinningJennyagoodideaorshouldithaveneverbeeninvented?

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TheWorkingConditionsoftheFactories

By:TimRyan

Thetextileindustryhasbecomeaveryimportantpartofourcountrieseconomy.Ithascreatedmanyfactoryjobsaswellascreatednewmarketsandmadeinexpensivefabrics

readilyavailablefortheaverageconsumer.

Thefactoriesarebigmonstrousbuildingsoftenfoundinthecity.Withinthebigbrickwallshundredsofemployeesareworkinginsidetoproducevariousfabricssuchascottonor

wool.Menandwomanareoftenstationedwiththeheavymachineryliketheelectriclooms,whilechildrenareeithersweepingorfixingbrokenthreads.AccordingtoJohn

FieldeninTheCurseoftheFactorySystemadultscouldwork67.5hoursaweekandchildrenupto48.

Thesefactoriesarebusyandsometimesdangerousplaces.Woman’sapronscangetinthe

machineryorothertimesmechanicalmalfunctionscancausefires.Theworkersareconstantlymakingtheirwaythroughthefactoryfloorquicklyastonotslackoffinfrontof

theoverseer.Thefactorywillkeepitsemployeesonaverystrictscheduletomaintainmaximumworkefficiencyandproductivity.Loudwhistlesoralarmssignalwhenitistimefor

mandatorybreaksortolettheworkersknowwhenthedayisdone.

Nassau,aLondonfactoryownerstated“Theeasinessoftheworkmakeslonghourspossible.Mostoftheworkismerelythatofwatchingthemachinery,andpiecingthe

threadsthatbreak.”Butlookingontothefactoryfloor,theworkseemsfarfromeasy.

Withallthesenewfactoriesbeingopenedupandallthesejobscreated,wemustrealizethe

economicbenefitsofthenewtextileindustry.Thoughtheworkishardandsometimesdangerous,itsworkthathastobedoneandthedemandfornewemployeesiscertainlynot

decreasing.Thoughthisisabigchange,Ithinkit’ssomethingthatweallastheworkingclassshouldgetusedtoo.

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SocialsimintheWorkPlace

By:LunaCarll

Recently,duetotheindustrializationofEnglandwe’vecometofindthatinequalitiesare

increasingtheirpresenceintheworkplace.Therearefactoryownersandmanagers,whosepowerandwealthplacetheminaneconomicallyprivilegedstateofbeing.Ontheother

hand,theworkersthatIhavetakenthetimetospeakwithindependentlyhavebeenveryvocalabouthowupsettheyare,andhowunjustthisnewwayoflifeisbecoming.Theycan’t

standtheodorproducedbyfuelemissions.Theytoildayinanddayouttomakehalfofwhattheheadofthecompanymakes,onlytofindthathesitsaroundalldaybarkingorders

tohisunderlings.Theyrefusetolivethiswayanylonger.

TheseworkershavejoinedafairlynewmovementknownasSocialism.Itperpetuatesthe

ideathatinequalitiesintheworkplaceareunjustified.Thebourgeoisieareangrythattheyprovidesomuchfortheiremployers,yetreceivesolittlerespectandarepaidaminiscule

amount.Themostincomeshouldbegiventothemanwhoprovidesthemostoutput.Thepositionofauthorityshouldgototheonewhoworksthehardest,andisthemost

dependable,notthemanwhowasgivenhispositionsthroughbirthrightandfinance.Thatistheirmoralandethicalstandpoint.

Manyindustrialistshaveturnedtoparliamentinsayingthattheirdecisionsarefair,

respectable,andshoweveryonethetreatmenttheysorightfullydeserve.Theydemandthatthegovernmentstandfirmintheirresponsibilitytodefendtherightsofbusinessand

factoryowners,aswellasthegeneralgoodofthepublic.Ifindustrialistscan’tproducethestockthatisbeingdemanded,thentheeconomicstatusofEnglandwillfallandthedreams

ofEnglishmenthroughoutthecountrywillneverberealized.Theyfeelthattherehastobeinequality,inorderforEnglandtoprosperinitsentirety.Ifpeoplewhohavereceivedan

educationarenotshownthebenefits(i.e.increasedrevenue,positionsofauthority,betterhealthbenefits)thentherewillbenoexternalmotivationalfactortoactasadrivingforceto

increasethebenefitsofreceivingapropereducation.Ultimately,they’resimplyinfavorofkeepingthingsthewaythattheyarecurrently.Theyseenoflawsinthesystem,andsaythat

ifsomethingisn’tbroken,don’tfixit.

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Thisnewstyleofrebellioniscurrentlythemostprevalentcauseofunhappinessintheworkplace,andhaslednumerousmembersofthebourgeoisietoplanuprisingsinfactory

assemblylines.Therearealsomanypeoplewhohavebeenveryvocalabouttheirangerwithproductionthrougharticlesandliterature.

FriedrichEngels,oneoftheleadersinSocialistandCommunistinitiatives,isquotedassaying,“Intruth,theywerenothumanbeings;theyweremerelytoilingmachinesinthe

serviceofthefewaristocratswhohadguidedhistorydowntothattime.Theindustrialrevolutionhassimplycarriedthisouttoitslogicalendbymakingtheworkers(into)

machines,pureandsimple,takingfromthemthelasttraceofindependentactivity,andsoforcingthemtothinkanddemandapositionworthyofmen.”

Wewillkeepyouupdatedontheprogressoftheseactivitiesasbestaswepossiblycan.

FriedrichEngels

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EditorialLetter

TheTextileIndustryhasbecomeaveryimportantpartofourcountry’seconomy.Ithas

createdmanyfactoryjobsaswellascreatednewmarketsandmadeinexpensivefabricsreadilyavailablefortheaverageconsumer.

Thefactoriesarebigmonstrousbuildingsoftenfoundinthecity.Withinthebigbrickwalls,hundredsofemployeesareworkinginsidetoproducevariousfabricssuchascottonor

wool.Menandwomenareoftenstationedwiththeheavymachinery,liketheelectriclooms,whilechildrenaresweeping,fixingbrokenthreads,andifneeded,alsoworkingwith

themachinery.AccordingtoJohnFieldeninTheCurseoftheFactorySystem,adultscouldwork67.5hoursaweekandchildrenupto48.

TherearebenefitstotheIndustrialRevolutionandtheTextileIndustrybuttherearealsonegatives.Thebenefitsarehugeforthecountrybutthenegativesaffectthepeople

personally.Wehavebeenconsultingwithourfellowjournalistsandtheyhavetoldustheirstories.Theyspokeofhowthefactoryownersandthecountrybenefitgreatly.Thecountry

isabletomass‐producetheclothandothervariousmaterialswiththeothernewinventionsthatarebeinginvented.Britainisnowbeatingoutothertopcountriesinthebusinessworld,

becauseofthesemachinesandtheirfastpace.

Alsointermsoftheeffectsofindustrializationmen,womenandchildrenarebeinggiven

theopportunitytomakeadifferenceintheirlives,andlearningnewskillsthattheycanuseintheirhomelife.They’rebeingshowntheimportanceofdiligence,andlearningatradetoutilizelateronintheirlives.Youngboysandgirlsarebeinggiventhechancetoactaspaid

internsonthefactoryfloor,whichhelpstosupporttheirunderprivilegedfamilies.Thisnewsourceofincomecanbeusedtopayforfreshproduce,cleanclothing,andmaybeusedto

improvetheconditionofthehome(construction).

Womenarebeinggiventheopportunitytoworkinfactories,weavingonthelooms,and

creatingthevarioustextilesusedonourattire.Thisnewskillwillcomeinhandywhentheybecomewivesandmotherslateroninlife.Tobeadeptinsuchcomplextechnologywillgive

thesewomenanadvantageintheyearstocomeasourtechnologycontinuestoevolveandimprove.Theyarealsobeingpaidfortheirworkandtheirtextiles.Thisincomecanbe

utilizedtosupporttheirelderlyfamilymembersandtheirvarioussiblingsathome.Mothersmayresteasilyatnight,knowingthatboththeirneedsandtheirchildren’sneedsarebeing

satisfiedinallaspects.

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Theincomecanalsobeusedtoimprovethepersonallivesoftheyoungwomen.Theycanusethemoneytheysavetobuythemselvesgarmentsforchurch,anddisplaythemselvesas

theproperyoungladiesthey’vebecomewhileworkinginthefactory.Theycouldalsosaveupmoney,tobuytrinketsforthemselvesthatwillcatchtheeyeofaprospectivemarriage

opportunity.

Whilethebenefitsareclearandconcise,therearealsonegatives.Thesearethingslikethe

factoryworkersbeingbeatenandworkedlikeslavesinthefactories.Peopleareunabletotakebreaksunlessifitisinadesignatedtime.Therearenowchildrengettinginvolvedin

factories.

Asmuchasitsoundsliketheyhaveiteasy,theyworktwelve‐hourdaysliketheadults.Therearealsomanyphysicalproblemsstartingwiththefactoryworkers.Theirbodiesare

morphedandun‐proportionalbecausethey'restandingalldayandmovingonlyaportionoftheirbodies.

Thesefactoriesarebusyandsometimesdangerousplaces.Women’sapronscangetinthemachineryleadingtoseriousinjuries,orothertimesmechanicalmalfunctionscanleadto

fires.Theworkersareconstantlymakingtheirwaythroughthefactoryfloorquickly,soastonotslackoffinfrontoftheoverseer.Thefactorywillkeepitsemployeesonaverystrict

scheduletomaintainmaximumworkefficiencyandproductivity.Loudwhistlesoralarmssignalwhenitistimeformandatorybreaksortolettheworkersknowwhenthedayis

done.

Nassau,aLondonfactoryownerstated“Theeasinessoftheworkmakeslonghourspossible.Mostoftheworkismerelythatofwatchingthemachinery,andpiecingthe

threadsthatbreak.”Butlookingontothefactoryfloor,theworkseemsfarfromeasy.