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Failure is writ large； and in their wretchedness they bear the stamp of
social disapprobation。 Common work； any kind of work； wherever or
however they can obtain it； is their portion。
But these hereditary inefficients do not alone compose the surplus
labor army。 There are the skilled but unsteady and unreliable men； and the
old men； once skilled； but； with dwindling powers； no longer skilled。 ｛3｝
And there are good men； too； splendidly skilled and efficient； but thrust
out of the employment of dying or disaster… smitten industries。 In this
connection it is not out of place to note the misfortune of the workers in
the British iron trades； who are suffering because of American inroads。
And； last of all； are the unskilled laborers； the hewers of wood and drawers
of water； the ditch…diggers； the men of pick and shovel； the helpers；
lumpers； roustabouts。 If trade is slack on a seacoast of two thousand miles；
or the harvests are light in a great interior valley； myriads of these laborers
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War of the Classes
lie idle； or make life miserable for their fellows in kindred unskilled
employments。
A constant filtration goes on in the working world； and good material
is continually drawn from the surplus labor army。 Strikes and industrial
dislocations shake up the workers； bring good men to the surface and sink
men as good or not so good。 The hope of the skilled striker is in that the
scabs are less skilled； or less capable of becoming skilled； yet each strike
attests to the efficiency that lurks beneath。 After the Pullman strike； a few
thousand railroad men were chagrined to find the work they had flung
down taken up by men as good as themselves。
But one thing must be considered here。 Under the present system； if
the weakest and least fit were as strong and fit as the best； and the best
were correspondingly stronger and fitter； the same condition would obtain。
There would be the same army of employed labor； the same army of
surplus labor。 The whole thing is relative。 There is no absolute standard of
efficiency。
Comes now the tramp。 And all conclusions may be anticipated by
saying at once that he is a tramp because some one has to be a tramp。 If he
left the 〃road〃 and became a VERY efficient common laborer； some
ORDINARILY EFFICIENT common laborer would have to take to the
〃road。〃 The nooks and crannies are crowded by the surplus laborers； and
when the first snow flies； and the tramps are driven into the cities； things
become overcrowded and stringent police regulations are necessary。
The tramp is one of two kinds of men： he is either a discouraged
worker or a discouraged criminal。 Now a discouraged criminal； on
investigation； proves to be a discouraged worker； or the descendant of
discouraged workers； so that； in the last analysis； the tramp is a
discouraged worker。 Since there is not work for all； discouragement for
some is unavoidable。 How； then； does this process of discouragement
operate？
The lower the employment in the industrial scale； the harder the
conditions。 The finer； the more delicate； the more skilled the trade； the
higher is it lifted above the struggle。 There is less pressure； less sordidness；
less savagery。 There are fewer glass… blowers proportionate to the needs of
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War of the Classes
the glass…blowing industry than there are ditch…diggers proportionate to the
needs of the ditch…digging industry。 And not only this； for it requires a
glass… blower to take the place of a striking glass…blower； while any kind
of a striker or out…of…work can take the place of a ditch…digger。 So the
skilled trades are more independent； have more individuality and latitude。
They may confer with their masters； make demands； assert themselves。
The unskilled laborers； on the other hand； have no voice in their affairs。
The settlement of terms is none of their business。 〃Free contract〃 is all that
remains to them。 They may take what is offered； or leave it。 There are
plenty more of their kind。 They do not count。 They are members of the
surplus labor army； and must be content with a hand…to…mouth existence。
The reward is likewise proportioned。 The strong； fit worker in a skilled
trade； where there is little labor pressure； is well compensated。 He is a king
compared with his less fortunate brothers in the unskilled occupations
where the labor pressure is great。 The mediocre worker not only is forced
to be idle a large portion of the time； but when employed is forced to
accept a pittance。 A dollar a day on some days and nothing on other days
will hardly support a man and wife and send children to school。 And not
only do the masters bear heavily upon him； and his own kind struggle for
the morsel at his mouth； but all skilled and organized labor adds to his woe。
Union men do not scab on one another； but in strikes； or when work is
slack； it is considered 〃fair〃 for them to descend and take away the work
of the common laborers。 And take it away they do； for； as a matter of fact；
a well…fed； ambitious machinist or a core…maker will transiently shovel
coal better than an ill…fed； spiritless laborer。
Thus there is no encouragement for the unfit； inefficient； and mediocre。
Their very inefficiency and mediocrity make them helpless as cattle and
add to their misery。 And the whole tendency for such is downward； until；
at the bottom of the social pit； they are wretched； inarticulate beasts； living
like beasts； breeding like beasts； dying like beasts。 And how do they fare；
these creatures born mediocre； whose heritage is neither brains nor brawn
nor endurance？ They are sweated in the slums in an atmosphere of
discouragement and despair。 There is no strength in weakness； no
encouragement in foul air； vile food； and dank dens。 They are there
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War of the Classes
because they are so made that they are not fit to be higher up； but filth and
obscenity do not strengthen the neck； nor does chronic emptiness of belly
stiffen the back。
For the mediocre there is no hope。 Mediocrity is a sin。 Poverty is the
penalty of failure；poverty； from whose loins spring the criminal and the
tramp； both failures； both discouraged workers。 Poverty is the inferno
where ignorance festers and vice corrodes； and where the physical； mental；
and moral parts of nature are aborted and denied。
That the charge of rashness in splashing the picture be not incurred； let
the following authoritative evidence be considered： first； the work and
wages of mediocrity and inefficiency； and； second； the habitat：
The New York Sun of February 28； 1901； describes the opening of a
factory in New York City by the American Tobacco Company。 Cheroots
were to be made in this factory in competition with other factories which
refused to be absorbed by the trust。 The trust advertised for girls。 The
crowd of men and boys who wanted work was so great in front of the
building that the police were forced with their clubs to clear them away。
The wage paid the girls was 2。50 per week； sixty cents of which went for
car fare。 ｛4｝
Miss Nellie Mason Auten； a graduate student of the department of
sociology at the University of Chicago； recently made a thorough
investigation of the garment trades of Chicago。 Her figures were published
in the American Journal of Sociology； and commented upon by the
Literary Digest。 She found women working ten hours a day； six days a
week； for forty cents per week （a rate of two…thirds of a cent an hour）。
Many women earned less than a dollar a week； and none of