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The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, April 01, 1913, Image 26

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1913-04-01/ed-1/seq-26/

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Rosenwald afld Weil promptly disappeared.-
The commission yesterday
tried to findfout why they had dis
appeared and where theyiad disap
peared to from George E: Gabel, as
sistant cashier of the firm."
The commission was not very suc
cessful in finding out. Gabel had
some vague idea that Rosenwald was
in Highland Park. He had no idea
where Weil was. Weil had not been
seen by anyone connected "with the
firm since Saturday.
The only thing Gabel was perfect
ly sure of was that neither Rosenwald
nor Weil had disappeared because
theyliad heard that one of the com
mission's investigators had visited
their factory andhat they were like
ly to' be summqned'before the com
mission. Gabel was firm on this point. He
did not know where Rosenwald and
Weil had gone to. He did. hot know
any reason, why they should have
gone anywhere. ' "
But he was perfectly sure they had
not left the city in order to avoid
explaining themselves and their $2.17
a week wages before the commission.
The- commission paid a high com
pliment to Hyman Goldberg, yester
day. Goldberg is the owner of two
small millinery shops at '717 and 727
West Twelfth street. He only employs
about 26 girls and yet he pays wages
twice and three times as high as any
of his big competitors.
The explanation was found easily
in the way Goldberg looked at his
profits. Lieut.-Gov. O'Hara had asked
Goldberg if he could compete with
the big people who paid starvation
wages while he was paying living
wages.
"Well," he said, "I just count'what
I have left in the bank as profit, and
if at the end of the year it comes to
5,000 for the year, me and my fam
ily are happy."
Which is a large-sized difference
from the attitude of such men as
Rosenwald and Weil, who can't come
down to their, offices without auto
mobiles and who leave town when
there is an'investigation.
One of the most striking stories
told the .commission yesterday was
that of Lizzie Ford, a 17-year-old em
ploye of the Nathan, Grossman Mfg.
Co. .. .
As she. testified the girl leaned for
ward wearily, resting on the table.
"Are you tired?" asked Lieut-Gov.
O'Hara.
"I'm always tired," said the young
girl, in a listless voice. "When you
work at piecework you must expect,,
"What time dq you have1 to go to.
work?" asked O'Hara. ' '
"At 7:30," said the girl. "And it's
such -nervous work. Sometimes when
I get slowing up,. I. think of that $4'
a week I have. tcTp'ay for room and .
board and becqme,afraid I'm not goV'.j
ing to make it' Then f "speed up "
"Has your work ever made, you'f
ill?" asked tie lieutenant-governor.
"Yes, I've .been sick many times, t
.Last Saturday I had to go to the doc
tor. I had caught cold in' my arm. .
I had to have something done for.it; A
because if my arm doesn't work j lose J!
I unfile: V. 1 '
"Did you pay the doctor?" .
"Oh my, yes. I paid him two dolr.
lars for examining my arm and'tell-'.
mg me what to do.
"How do you- spend1 your Sun
days?" "Well, I'm awfully tired on Sun
days. Sometimes I get up about 10
or 11 o'clock, but often I stay in bed
all day so as to get rested up."
"And then what?"-asked the lieu
tenant-governor. - b
"Begin all over again," said the girl
wearily
That girl's employer; Louis Nathan, '
wason the stand later. And-1 he said
that he did not run a sweatshop.
Also Nathan said. that the girls to
whom he paid starvation wages for
nine hours or ten' hours a" day labor
were. not. worth anv more. -
- When the commission adjourned

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