the ragged trousered philanthropists-第83章
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y spoke of as fellows who were too bloody lazy to work for a living； and who wanted the working classes to keep them。
Some of them said that they did not believe in helping their children to become anything better than their parents had been because in such cases the children； when they grew up； ‘looked down' upon and were ashamed of their fathers and mothers！ They seemed to think that if they loved and did their duty to their children； the probability was that the children would prove ungrateful： as if even if that were true； it would be any excuse for their indifference。
Another cause of the shortage of work was the intrusion into the trade of so many outsiders： fellows like Sawkins and the other lightweights。 Whatever other causes there were； there could be no doubt that the hurrying and scamping was a very real one。 Every ‘job' had to be done at once！ as if it were a matter of life or death！ It must be finished by a certain time。 If the ‘job' was at an empty house； Misery's yarn was that it was let！ the people were coming in at the end of the week！ therefore everything must be finished by Wednesday night。 All the ceilings had to be washed off； the walls stripped and repapered； and two coats of paint inside and outside the house。 New drains were to be put in； and all broken windows and locks and broken plaster repaired。 A number of men … usually about half as many as there should have been … would be sent to do the work； and one man was put in charge of the ‘job'。 These sub…foremen or ‘coddies' knew that if they ‘made their jobs pay' they would be put in charge of others and be kept on in preference to other men as long as the firm had any work； so they helped Misery to scheme and scamp the work and watched and drove the men under their charge； and these latter poor wretches； knowing that their only chance of retaining their employment was to ‘tear into it'； tore into it like so many maniacs。 Instead of cleaning any parts of the woodwork that were greasy or very dirty； they brushed them over with a coat of spirit varnish before painting to make sure that the paint would dry： places where the plaster of the walls was damaged were repaired with what was humorously called ‘garden cement' … which was the technical term for dirt out of the garden … and the surface was skimmed over with proper material。 Ceilings that were not very dirty were not washed off； but dusted； and lightly gone over with a thin coat of whitewash。 The old paper was often left upon the wails of rooms that were supposed to be stripped before being repapered； and to conceal this the joints of the old paper were rubbed down so that they should not be perceptible through the new paper。 As far as possible； Misery and the sub…foreman avoided doing the work the customers paid for； and even what little they did was hurried over anyhow。
A reign of terror … the terror of the sack … prevailed on all the ‘jobs'； which were carried on to the accompaniment of a series of alarums and excursions： no man felt safe for a moment： at the most unexpected times Misery would arrive and rush like a whirlwind all over the ‘job'。 If he happened to find a man having a spell the culprit was immediately discharged； but he did not get the opportunity of doing this very often for everybody was too terrified to leave off working even for a few minutes' rest。
From the moment of Hunter's arrival until his departure； a state of panic； hurry； scurry and turmoil reigned。 His strident voice rang through the house as he bellowed out to them to ‘Rouse themselves！ Get it done！ Smear it on anyhow！ Tar it over！ We've got another job to start when you've done this！'
Occasionally； just to keep the others up to concert pitch； he used to sack one of the men for being too slow。 They all trembled before him and ran about whenever he spoke to or called them； because they knew that there were always a lot of other men out of work who would be willing and eager to fill their places if they got the sack。
Although it was now summer； and the Distress Committee and all the other committees had suspended operations； there was still always a large number of men hanging about the vicinity of the Fountain on the Parade … The Wage Slave Market。 When men finished up for the firm they were working for they usually made for that place。 Any master in want of a wage slave for a few hours； days or weeks could always buy one there。 The men knew this and they also knew that if they got the sack from one firm it was no easy matter to get another job； and that was why they were terrified。
When Misery was gone … to repeat the same performance at some other job … the sub…foreman would have a crawl round to see how the chaps were getting on： to find out if they had used up all their paint yet； or to bring them some putty so that they should not have to leave their work to go to get anything themselves： and then very often Rushton himself would come and stalk quietly about the house or stand silently behind the men； watching them as they worked。 He seldom spoke to anyone； but just stood there like a graven image； or walked about like a dumb animal … a pig； as the men used to say。 This individual had a very exalted idea of his own importance and dignity。 One man got the sack for presuming to stop him in the street to ask some questions about some work that was being done。
Misery went round to all the jobs the next day and told all the ‘coddies' to tell all the hands that they were never to speak to Mr Rushton if they met him in the street； and the following Saturday the man who had so offended was given his back day； ostensibly because there was nothing for him to do； but really for the reason stated above。
There was one job； the outside of a large house that stood on elevated ground overlooking the town。 The men who were working there were even more than usually uncomfortable； for it was said that Rushton used to sit in his office and watch them through a telescope。
Sometimes； when it was really necessary to get a job done by a certain time； they had to work late； perhaps till eight or nine o'clock。 No time was allowed for tea； but some of them brought sufficient food with them in the morning to enable them to have a little about six o'clock in the evening。 Others arranged for their children to bring them some tea from home。 As a rule； they partook of this without stopping work： they had it on the floor beside them and ate and drank and worked at the same time … a paint…brushful of white lead in one hand； and a piece of bread and margarine in the other。 On some jobs； if the ‘coddy' happened to be a decent sort； they posted a sentry to look out for Hunter or Rushton while the others knocked off for a few minutes to snatch a mouthful of grub； but it was not safe always to do this； for there was often some crawling sneak with an ambition to become a ‘coddy' who would not scruple to curry favour with Misery by reporting the crime。
As an additional precaution against the possibility of any of the men idling or wasting their time； each one was given a time…sheet on which he was required to account for every minute of the day。 The form of these sheets vary slightly with different firms： that of Rushton & Co。； was as shown。
TIME SHEET OF WORK DONE BY IN THE EMPLOY OF RUSHTON & CO BUILDERS & DECORATORS ： MUGSBOROUGH
NO SMOKING OR INTOXICANTS ALLOWED DURING WORKING HOURS
EACH PIECE OF WORK MUST BE FULLY DESCRIBED； WHAT IT WAS； AND HOW LONG IT TOOK TO DO。
…＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ ｜ ｜ Time When ｜ Time When ｜ ｜ ｜ Where Working ｜ Started ｜ Finished ｜ Hours ｜ What Doing …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Sat ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Mon ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Tues ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Wed ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Thur ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ Fri ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋ ｜ ｜ Total Hours ｜ ｜ …＋…＋…＋…＋…＋
One Monday morning Misery gave each of the sub…foremen an envelope containing one of the firm s memorandum forms。 Crass opened his and found the following：
Crass
When you are on a job with men under you； check and initial their time…sheets every night。
If they are called away and sent to some other job； or stood off； check and initial their time…sheets as they leave your job。
Any man coming on your job during the day； you must take note of the exact time of his arrival； and see that his sheet is charged right。
Any man who is slow or lazy； or any man that you notice talking more than is necessary during working hours； you must report him to Mr Hunter。 We expect you and the other foremen to help us to carry out these rules； AND ANY INFORMATION GIVEN US ABOUT ANY MAN IS TREATED IN CONFIDENCE。
Rushton & Co。
Note： This applies to all men of all trades who come on the jobs of which you are the foreman。
Every week the time…sheets were scrutinized； and every now and then a man would be ‘had up on the carpet' in the office before Rushton and Misery； and interrogated as to why he had taken fifteen hours to do ten hours work？ In the event of the accused being unable to give a satisfactory explanation of his conduct he was usually sacked on the spot。
Misery was frequently called ‘up on the carpet' himself。
If he made a mistake in figuring out a ‘job'； and gave in too high a tender for it； so that the firm did not get the work； Rushton grumbled。 If the price was so low that there was not enough profit； Rushton was very unpleasant about it； and whenever it happened that there was not only no profit but an actual loss； Rushton created such a terrible disturbance that Misery was nearly frightened to death and used to get on his bicycle and rush off to the nearest ‘job' and howl and bellow at the ‘chaps' to get it done。
All the time the capabilities of the men … especially with regard to speed … were carefully watched and noted： and whenever there was a slackness of work and it was necessary to discharge some hands those that were slow or took too much pains were weeded out： this of course was known to the men and it had the desired effect upon them。
In justice to Rushton and Hunter； it must be remembered that there was a certain amount of excuse for all this driving and cheating； because they had to compete with all the other firms； who conducted their business in precisely the same way。 It was not their fault； but the fault of the system。
A dozen firms tendered for every ‘job'； and of course the lowest tender usually obtained the work。 Knowing this； they all cut the price down to the lowest possible figure and the workmen had to suffer。
The trouble was that there were too many ‘masters'。 It would have been far better for the workmen if nine out of every ten of the employers had never started business。 Then the others would have been able to get a better price for their work； and the men might have had better wages and conditions。 The h
