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of industrial society as it exists to…day。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XVIIIWAGES
When I learned that in Lesser London there were 1；292；737 people
who received twenty…one shillings or less a week per family； I became
interested as to how the wages could best be spent in order to maintain the
physical efficiency of such families。 Families of six； seven； eight or ten
being beyond consideration； I have based the following table upon a
family of fivea father； mother； and three children； while I have made
twenty…one shillings equivalent to 5。25； though actually； twenty…one
shillings are equivalent to about 5。11。
Rent 1。50 or 6/0 Bread 1。00 〃 4/0 Meat
O。87。5 〃 3/6 Vegetables O。62。5 〃 2/6 Coals 0。25 〃 1/0
Tea 0。18 〃 0/9 Oil 0。16 〃 0/8 Sugar
0。18 〃 0/9 Milk 0。12 〃 0/6 Soap 0。08 〃 0/4
Butter 0。20 〃 0/10 Firewood 0。08 〃 0/4 Total
5。25 21/2
An analysis of one item alone will show how little room there is for
waste。 Bread； 1： for a family of five； for seven days； one dollar's
worth of bread will give each a daily ration of 2。8 cents； and if they eat
three meals a day； each may consume per meal 9。5 mills' worth of bread； a
little less than one halfpennyworth。 Now bread is the heaviest item。
They will get less of meat per mouth each meal； and still less of vegetates；
while the smaller items become too microscopic for consideration。 On
the other hand； these food articles are all bought at small retail； the most
expensive and wasteful method of purchasing。
While the table given above will permit no extravagance； no
overloading of stomachs； it will be noticed that there is no surplus。 The
whole guinea is spent for food and rent。 There is no pocket…money left
over。 Does the man buy a glass of beer； the family must eat that much
less； and in so far as it eats less； just that far will it impair its physical
efficiency。 The members of this family cannot ride in busses or trams；
cannot write letters； take outings； go to a 〃tu'penny gaff〃 for cheap
vaudeville； join social or benefit clubs； nor can they buy sweetmeats；
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
tobacco； books； or newspapers。
And further； should one child （and there are three） require a pair of
shoes； the family must strike meat for a week from its bill of fare。 And
since there are five pairs of feet requiring shoes； and five heads requiring
hats； and five bodies requiring clothes； and since there are laws regulating
indecency； the family must constantly impair its physical efficiency in
order to keep warm and out of jail。 For notice； when rent； coals； oil； soap；
and firewood are extracted from the weekly income； there remains a daily
allowance for food of 4。5d。 to each person； and that 4。5d。 cannot be
lessened by buying clothes without impairing the physical efficiency。
All of which is hard enough。 But the thing happens； the husband and
father breaks his leg or his neck。 No 4。5d。 a day per mouth for food is
coming in； no halfpennyworth of bread per meal； and； at the end of the
week； no six shillings for rent。 So out they must go； to the streets or the
workhouse； or to a miserable den； somewhere； in which the mother will
desperately endeavour to hold the family together on the ten shillings she
may possibly be able to earn。
While in London there are 1；292；737 people who receive twenty…one
shillings or less a week per family； it must be remembered that we have
investigated a family of five living on a twenty…one shilling basis。 There
are larger families； there are many families that live on less than twenty…
one shillings； and there is much irregular employment。 The question
naturally arises； How do THEY live？ The answer is that they do not live。
They do not know what life is。 They drag out a subterbestial existence
until mercifully released by death。
Before descending to the fouler depths； let the case of the telephone
girls be cited。 Here are clean； fresh English maids； for whom a higher
standard of living than that of the beasts is absolutely necessary。
Otherwise they cannot remain clean； fresh English maids。 On entering
the service； a telephone girl receives a weekly wage of eleven shillings。
If she be quick and clever； she may； at the end of five years； attain a
minimum wage of one pound。 Recently a table of such a girl's weekly
expenditure was furnished to Lord Londonderry。 Here it is：…
s。 d。 Rent； fire； and light 7 6 Board
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at home 3 6 Board at the office 4 6 Street car fare
1 6 Laundry 1 0 Total 18
0
This leaves nothing for clothes； recreation； or sickness。 And yet
many of the girls are receiving； not eighteen shillings； but eleven shillings；
twelve shillings； and fourteen shillings per week。 They must have
clothes and recreation； and …
Man to Man so oft unjust； Is always so to Woman。
At the Trades Union Congress now being held in London； the
Gasworkers' Union moved that instructions be given the Parliamentary
Committee to introduce a Bill to prohibit the employment of children
under fifteen years of age。 Mr。 Shackleton； Member of Parliament and a
representative of the Northern Counties Weavers； opposed the resolution
on behalf of the textile workers； who； he said； could not dispense with the
earnings of their children and live on the scale of wages which obtained。
The repres