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Industrial Post

Volume 1| Issue 1 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,andassuchitsneeds

havechanged.Oneofthesechangesisthatchildrenarenowgiventasksintheworkplace.Theyhavebecomeworkersinandofthemselves,onlytheyarelessadeptatmaintainingtheirownsafetyonthefactoryfloor.

AsamotherIamhorrifiedbywhatIhavecometohearasoflatewhenmychildrenreturnfromthelate‐weekslabor.Theyarebatteredandworn,withcirclesundertheireyes

thatagethembytenyears.Theysitdownatthetable,anddescribethehorrificaccidentstheysee.Theyspeakofagirl,whowascaughtontheshaftofthemachinery.Shewas

repetitiouslythrownagainstthewall,andbythetimeshehadbeensuccessfullyremovedfromthegears,shehadlostherrightleg.Anotheraccountthatmychildrenspeakof,are

thatofwhichtheysawanewboy,hardlysevenyearsold,beatenandweary.Itwashisfirstday,andwasunawarethatrestingbeforethedesignatedbreaktimewouldresultina

lashing.Heseemedasthoughhewereabouttovomit,andyethewasnotallowedanytimetore‐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:HannahHlystekTheSpinningJennywasthemachineofthecenturyitwasstatedinthenewsarticlecalledhowstuffworks.TheSpinningJennywascreatedfromtheideaofseeingaSpinningWheelrollawayfromJamesHargreaves.WatchingthisgaveJamesHargreavestheideathatheshouldmakeanautomaticwheel.TheSpinningJennymakesitsomanufacturerscanproduceyarninlargequantities.SincetheSpinningJennyproducedtheyarnfaster,clothescouldbemadeevenfaster.AcoupleofyearsearlieramannamedJohnKaymadealoomcalledtheFlyingShuttle.ThiscombinedwiththeSpinningJennyenabledBritaintobethefirstcountrytomassproducecloth,whichmadeitsoitwasthecheapestcountrytobuytheclothfrom.JamesHargreavesnamedtheSpinningJennyafterhiswife.Itwasmadeoutofwoodandhadeightspindles.Itwasmadeliketheoriginalwheelswhereyouwoulddriveitbyhandandspuntheyarn.Thedifferenceisthatwiththeeightspindlestheywouldalsobegoingatthesametimemovingsimultaneouslywiththeoneyouwereweaving.ThereweresomebigdifferencebetweentheSpinningJennyandthespinningwheel.ThespinningJennywasbuiltsomanufacturerswereabletousemorethanoneballofyarnonthewheelinsteadoftheoneballofyarn.Thismakesitsoonepersoncandotheworkofmany.AgainthismakesitsoBritaincanmassproduceyarnanddistributeittoothercountries.TheSpinningJennyhasunfortunatelycausedmanyproblemswithsociety.AccordingtoanObservationontheLossofWoollenSpinning‐peoplethinkthatbecausethewomenarenowworkinginafactorywiththeSpinningJennythattheyarenotlearningthethingstobeagoodwife.Theythinkthisbecausenowthewomenareworkinginfactoriesfromagesixtosixteenworkingonmachinesfrommorningtillnight,sotheyarenotlearningtheessentialstobecomeagoodwife.TherehasalsobeenmanyinjuriesandfatalitiesfromworkingwiththeSpinningJenny.LeonardHorner,afactoryinspector,hedescribedtomeaboutwhathadhappenedtoagirlthatwasworkingwithSpinningJenny.Hestates“Shewascaughtby herapronwhichwrappedaroundthehaft.Shewhirledroundandrepeatedlyforcedbetweentheshaftsandcardingengine.Herrightlegwasfoundsomedistanceaway.”TheseincidentsmadepeoplethinkthatSpinningJenny’saretoodangerous.ThepositivesofthisinventionarethatthecountryofBritainisabletomassproduceclothanddistributetomanyothercountries.TheSpinningJEnnyalsomadeitsotherewerefactoryjobsavailable,butithadpeoplegetkilledandhurtseverelytomakethecloth.Sothequestionstillstands,istheSpinningJennyagoodideaorshouldithaveneverbeeninvented?

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TheWorkingConditionsoftheFactories

By:TimRyan

Thetextileindustryhasbecomeaveryimportantpartofourcountrieseconomy.Ithascreatedmanyfactoryjobsaswellascreatednewmarketsandmadeinexpensivefabrics

readilyavailablefortheaverageconsumer.

Thefactoriesarebigmonstrousbuildingsoftenfoundinthecity.Withinthebigbrickwallshundredsofemployeesareworkinginsidetoproducevariousfabricssuchascottonor

wool.Menandwomanareoftenstationedwiththeheavymachineryliketheelectriclooms,whilechildrenareeithersweepingorfixingbrokenthreads.AccordingtoJohn

FieldeninTheCurseoftheFactorySystemadultscouldwork67.5hoursaweekandchildrenupto48.

Thesefactoriesarebusyandsometimesdangerousplaces.Woman’sapronscangetinthemachineryorothertimesmechanicalmalfunctionscancausefires.Theworkersare

constantlymakingtheirwaythroughthefactoryfloorquicklyastonotslackoffinfrontoftheoverseer.Thefactorywillkeepitsemployeesonaverystrictscheduletomaintain

maximumworkefficiencyandproductivity.Loudwhistlesoralarmssignalwhenitistimeformandatorybreaksortolettheworkersknowwhenthedayisdone.

Nassau,aLondonfactoryownerstated“Theeasinessoftheworkmakeslonghours

possible.Mostoftheworkismerelythatofwatchingthemachinery,andpiecingthethreadsthatbreak.”Butlookingontothefactoryfloor,theworkseemsfarfromeasy.

Withallthesenewfactoriesbeingopenedupandallthesejobscreated,wemustrealizethe

economicbenefitsofthenewtextileindustry.Thoughtheworkishardandsometimesdangerous,itsworkthathastobedoneandthedemandfornewemployeesiscertainlynot

decreasing.Thoughthisisabigchange,Ithinkit’ssomethingthatweallastheworkingclassshouldgetusedtoo.

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By:LunaCarll

Recently,duetotheindustrializationofEnglandwe’vecometofindthatinequalitiesareincreasingtheirpresenceintheworkplace.Therearefactoryownersandmanagers,whosepowerandwealthplacetheminaneconomicallyprivilegedstateofbeing.Ontheotherhand,theworkersthatIhavetakenthetimetospeakwithindependentlyhavebeenveryvocalabouthowupsettheyare,andhowunjustthisnewwayoflifeisbecoming.Theycan’tstandtheodorproducedbyfuelemissions.Theytoildayinanddayouttomakehalfofwhattheheadofthecompanymakes,onlytofindthathesitsaroundalldaybarkingorderstohisunderlings.Theyrefusetolivethiswayanylonger.

TheseworkershavejoinedafairlynewmovementknownasSocialism.Itperpetuatestheideathatinequalitiesintheworkplaceareunjustified.Thebourgeoisieareangrythattheyprovidesomuchfortheiremployers,yetreceivesolittlerespectandarepaidaminisculeamount.Themostincomeshouldbegiventothemanwhoprovidesthemostoutput.Thepositionofauthorityshouldgototheonewhoworksthehardest,andisthemostdependable,notthemanwhowasgivenhispositionsthroughbirthrightandfinance.Thatistheirmoralandethicalstandpoint.

Manyindustrialistshaveturnedtoparliamentinsayingthattheirdecisionsarefair,respectable,andshoweveryonethetreatmenttheysorightfullydeserve.Theydemandthatthegovernmentstandfirmintheirresponsibilitytodefendtherightsofbusinessandfactoryowners,aswellasthegeneralgoodofthepublic.Ifindustrialistscan’tproducethestockthatisbeingdemanded,thentheeconomicstatusofEnglandwillfallandthedreamsofEnglishmenthroughoutthecountrywillneverberealized.Theyfeelthattherehastobeinequality,inorderforEnglandtoprosperinitsentirety.Ifpeoplewhohavereceivedaneducationarenotshownthebenefits(i.e.increasedrevenue,positionsofauthority,betterhealthbenefits)thentherewillbenoexternalmotivationalfactortoactasadrivingforcetoincreasethebenefitsofreceivingapropereducation.Ultimately,they’resimplyinfavorofkeepingthingsthewaythattheyarecurrently.Theyseenoflawsinthesystem,andsaythatifsomethingisn’tbroken,don’tfixit.

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Thisnewstyleofrebellioniscurrentlythemostprevalentcauseofunhappinessintheworkplace,andhaslednumerousmembersofthebourgeoisietoplanuprisingsinfactoryassemblylines.Therearealsomanypeoplewhohavebeenveryvocalabouttheirangerwithproductionthrougharticlesandliterature.

FriedrichEngels,oneoftheleadersinSocialistandCommunistinitiatives,isquotedassaying,“Intruth,theywerenothumanbeings;theyweremerelytoilingmachinesintheserviceofthefewaristocratswhohadguidedhistorydowntothattime.Theindustrialrevolutionhassimplycarriedthisouttoitslogicalendbymakingtheworkers(into)machines,pureandsimple,takingfromthemthelasttraceofindependentactivity,andsoforcingthemtothinkanddemandapositionworthyofmen.”

Wewillkeepyouupdatedontheprogressoftheseactivitiesasbestaswepossiblycan.

FriedrichEngels

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EditorialLetter

TheTextileIndustryhasbecomeaveryimportantpartofourcountry’seconomy.Ithascreatedmanyfactoryjobsaswellascreatednewmarketsandmadeinexpensivefabricsreadilyavailablefortheaverageconsumer.

Thefactoriesarebigmonstrousbuildingsoftenfoundinthecity.Withinthebigbrickwalls,hundredsofemployeesareworkinginsidetoproducevariousfabricssuchascottonorwool.Menandwomenareoftenstationedwiththeheavymachinery,liketheelectriclooms,whilechildrenaresweeping,fixingbrokenthreads,andifneeded,alsoworkingwiththemachinery.AccordingtoJohnFieldeninTheCurseoftheFactorySystem,adultscouldwork67.5hoursaweekandchildrenupto48.

TherearebenefitstotheIndustrialRevolutionandtheTextileIndustrybuttherearealsonegatives.Thebenefitsarehugeforthecountrybutthenegativesaffectthepeoplepersonally.Wehavebeenconsultingwithourfellowjournalistsandtheyhavetoldustheirstories.Theyspokeofhowthefactoryownersandthecountrybenefitgreatly.Thecountryisabletomass‐producetheclothandothervariousmaterialswiththeothernewinventionsthatarebeinginvented.Britainisnowbeatingoutothertopcountriesinthebusinessworld,becauseofthesemachinesandtheirfastpace.

Alsointermsoftheeffectsofindustrializationmen,womenandchildrenarebeinggiventheopportunitytomakeadifferenceintheirlives,andlearningnewskillsthattheycanuseintheirhomelife.They’rebeingshowntheimportanceofdiligence,andlearningatradetoutilizelateronintheirlives.Youngboysandgirlsarebeinggiventhechancetoactaspaidinternsonthefactoryfloor,whichhelpstosupporttheirunderprivilegedfamilies.Thisnewsourceofincomecanbeusedtopayforfreshproduce,cleanclothing,andmaybeusedtoimprovetheconditionofthehome(construction).

Womenarebeinggiventheopportunitytoworkinfactories,weavingonthelooms,andcreatingthevarioustextilesusedonourattire.Thisnewskillwillcomeinhandywhentheybecomewivesandmotherslateroninlife.Tobeadeptinsuchcomplextechnologywillgivethesewomenanadvantageintheyearstocomeasourtechnologycontinuestoevolveandimprove.Theyarealsobeingpaidfortheirworkandtheirtextiles.Thisincomecanbeutilizedtosupporttheirelderlyfamilymembersandtheirvarioussiblingsathome.Mothersmayresteasilyatnight,knowingthatboththeirneedsandtheirchildren’sneedsarebeingsatisfiedinallaspects.

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Theincomecanalsobeusedtoimprovethepersonallivesoftheyoungwomen.Theycanusethemoneytheysavetobuythemselvesgarmentsforchurch,anddisplaythemselvesastheproperyoungladiesthey’vebecomewhileworkinginthefactory.Theycouldalsosaveupmoney,tobuytrinketsforthemselvesthatwillcatchtheeyeofaprospectivemarriageopportunity.

Whilethebenefitsareclearandconcise,therearealsonegatives.Thesearethingslikethefactoryworkersbeingbeatenandworkedlikeslavesinthefactories.Peopleareunabletotakebreaksunlessifitisinadesignatedtime.Therearenowchildrengettinginvolvedinfactories.

Asmuchasitsoundsliketheyhaveiteasy,theyworktwelve‐hourdaysliketheadults.Therearealsomanyphysicalproblemsstartingwiththefactoryworkers.Theirbodiesaremorphedandun‐proportionalbecausethey'restandingalldayandmovingonlyaportionoftheirbodies.

Thesefactoriesarebusyandsometimesdangerousplaces.Women’sapronscangetinthemachineryleadingtoseriousinjuries,orothertimesmechanicalmalfunctionscanleadtofires.Theworkersareconstantlymakingtheirwaythroughthefactoryfloorquickly,soastonotslackoffinfrontoftheoverseer.Thefactorywillkeepitsemployeesonaverystrictscheduletomaintainmaximumworkefficiencyandproductivity.Loudwhistlesoralarmssignalwhenitistimeformandatorybreaksortolettheworkersknowwhenthedayisdone.

Nassau,aLondonfactoryownerstated“Theeasinessoftheworkmakeslonghourspossible.Mostoftheworkismerelythatofwatchingthemachinery,andpiecingthethreadsthatbreak.”Butlookingontothefactoryfloor,theworkseemsfarfromeasy.