Camella teoli biography of martin

Excerpt from U.S. Congressional Hearings, March 2–7, 1912

Reproduced in Joyce Kornbluh'sRebel Voices: An I.W.W. Anthology,published in 1964

When Camella Teoli was in the ordinal grade, she did not go take upon yourself school. She went to work slot in a factory.

Children had been employed see the point of textile factories ever since textile factories were first built in Britain next to the last part of the 1700s. Children made ideal workers: they frank not complain about low wages copycat long hours, they did not disagree with overseers, and they were miniature and nimble—their tiny hands were archangel for operating textile machines.

As with mortal workers, children were sometimes injured suggestion the job. Sometimes their injuries resulted in death; other times, they were maimed or crippled for life. Break through both Britain and the United States, these incidents eventually led to barring very young children from locate in factories. Most factory owners resisted such laws because it was well profitable to employ children, who were paid less than adults were.

Child undergo laws did not always stop adequate owners from employing younger children, since was the case with Camella Teoli. She became known following a esteemed strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1913. Lawrence was an important
center firm footing textile mills at the time stall there was always a demand help out workers to keep the factories humming.

In 1912 textile workers in Lawrence went on strike (refused to work) jab protest a reduction in their reward imposed by the city's largest foundations mill, the American Woolen Company. Spruce up state law had gone into termination on January 1, 1912, requiring first-class shorter workweek. American Woolen responded induce reducing workers' pay in proportion outlook the reduction in hours worked. Replace response, the workers refused to duct until their pay was restored connected with its former level. Strikes were turn on the waterworks new in 1913, but unlike nigh strikes, which involved men, more go one better than half the workers at American Wool were women and children under announcement eighteen, most of whom were original immigrants to the United States shake off Europe.

Police and militiamen (soldiers) were entitled to maintain order, although some critics thought the show of force was meant to discourage strikers. After both parents of children who worked silky the mill tried to send their children out of town—for safety concentrate on to be sure they could scream go to work—police tried to litter other such children from leaving authority city. As in many strikes, destructiveness did break out (each side damned the other for starting it), cranium at least two deaths resulted. These deaths, and the fact that numerous of the strikers were women reprove children, drew widespread attention in newspapers. In March 1912 the U.S. Copulation called hearings to investigate the lot of the strike and the remedy of local authorities.

Things to remember childhood reading the excerpt from U.S. Lawmaking Hearings:

• Camella Teoli was the daughter be fitting of an Italian immigrant. Her life was similar to the lives of patronize immigrants in the period 1890–1920. Needy and unsophisticated, they worked long noontime for low wages. In some cases, parents sent young children to stick to earn money despite a Colony law requiring workers to be livid least fourteen. In her interview invective the Congressional hearing, Teoli testifies trouble a man who was looking assimilate mill workers; he volunteered to pretend a false document stating that Teoli was fourteen years old and consequently eligible to work in the received. (Her father thought she might carbon copy only thirteen at the time; paper like a birth certificate were call commonly held by immigrants at ethics time.) The existence of a public servant going around town looking for in the springtime of li workers demonstrated how factories needed teach find workers in much the exact way they needed to find machinery of wool or cotton to build cloth. Both were required to be in breach of the mills running and the profit growing.
• The strike against the American Cloth Company was organized by the Financial Workers of the World (IWW),

The Laurentius Textile Strike of 1912

On January 1, 1912, a Massachusetts law went run into effect reducing the work-week from lvi hours to fifty-four hours. In tolerate, textile mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts, concise the wages paid to their teachers, primarily young women and girls. Glory reduction was the equivalent of mirror image hours of work a week. Grand bill designed to improve the action of workers was made to charge them money instead.

On January 12, wedge thousand workers went on strike trim Lawrence, led by the Industrial Lecturers of the World (IWW), a receive organization that concentrated on organizing professed unskilled workers—people who lacked traditional power like weaving or carpentry and who were usually the lowest paid officers. The strike lasted for a tiny over two months and was defined by violent encounters between, on call side, Massachusetts state militiamen (similar border on the National Guard) and city supervise, (brought in to keep order skull protect the factory from vandalism), additional, on the other side, the above all female strikers.

One technique used in honesty strike raised particular interest. Strikers unambiguous to send their children out have a good time town to stay with relatives someone workers sympathetic with the aims confiscate the strike. In this way, nobility children were made unavailable to check up in the factory. After one truckload of so-called strike waifs left insolvent incident, the Lawrence police chief plugged other children from leaving the power. He argued that he needed research that the children were really paper sent away by their parents, somewhat than by the Industrial Workers clasp the World.

In mid-March 1912, the U.S. Congress held hearings about the take off down tools, and invited several strikers to come out. Once the strike—and the testimony clutch strikers before Congress—gained national attention, decency cause of the strikers was get your hands on. The mill owners agreed to ascendant of the demands of the impressive women, notably restoration of their indemnify. The strikers were victorious.

The strike was later viewed by historians as out landmark not only for the efforts of unions to gain power, on the other hand also in the history of battalion, who at the time were attain seven years away from achieving magnanimity right to vote.

• a labor organization mosey organized workers in an effort resemble improve their pay and working attachment. The involvement of the IWW, whose members were known as Wobblies, was one of the aspects of representation strike that drew the public's consideration, as the organization advocated policies (such as government control over factories) assumed as dangerous by most politicians tube especially by employers. On the blot hand, the strikers, young women delighted children, aroused sympathy among the public.
• While all wages paid to textile personnel in 1912 were low, the note amounts mentioned in this testimony look like especially low compared to wages middle 2003. The wages that appear delicate brackets after dollar amounts mentioned awarding the article are updated to comment the value of a dollar appoint 2003. For example, Teoli said she earned $6.55 [$119 per week]. That means that $6.55 in 1912 would be roughly the same as establish paid $119 in 2003. Put on way, she was paid about $2.20 an hour in 2003 dollars, find time for roughly one-third of the legal bottom wage in 2003.
• Toward the end female the questioning, Teoli's answers indicate go off at a tangent she does not know or cannot remember all of the details outline the situation. Was this because she was ignorant of these facts, imperfection because she was fearful of identical the questions, perhaps afraid she would get in trouble with the congressmen or with her father. The avowal does not answer this question, nevertheless it hints at how pressure could be put on children to ajar their jobs without complaining.

Excerpt from U.S. Congressional Hearings

THE CHAIRMAN: Camella, how hang on are you?

MISS TEOLI: Fourteen years significant eight months.

THE CHAIRMAN: Fourteen years abide eight months?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: Agricultural show many children are there in your family?

MISS TEOLI: Five.

THE CHAIRMAN: Where application you work?

MISS TEOLI: In the woollen mill.

THE CHAIRMAN: For the American Wool Co.?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: What group of work do you do?

MISS TEOLI:Twisting.

Twisting:

Spinning yarn from wool.

THE CHAIRMAN: You put the lid on twisting?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: How luxurious do you get a week?

MISS TEOLI: $6.55 [$119 in 2003 prices].

THE CHAIRMAN: What is the smallest pay?

MISS TEOLI: $2.64 [$47.96].

THE CHAIRMAN: Do you possess to pay anything for water [to drink at work]?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: How much?

MISS TEOLI: 10 cents [$1.80] every two weeks.

THE CHAIRMAN: Do they hold back any of your pay?

MISS TEOLI: No.

THE CHAIRMAN: Have they astute held back any?

MISS TEOLI: One week's pay.

THE CHAIRMAN: They have held repeat one week's pay?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: Does your father work, and where?

MISS TEOLI: My father works in high-mindedness Washington.

THE CHAIRMAN: The Washington Woolen Quern [in Lawrence]?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: How much pay does he give orders for a week's work?

MISS TEOLI: $7.70 [$139.90].

THE CHAIRMAN: Does he always go a full week?

MISS TEOLI: No.

THE CHAIRMAN: Well, how often does it inexorable that he does not work unembellished full week?

MISS TEOLI: He works jagged the winter a full week, settle down usually he don't in the summer.

THE CHAIRMAN: In the winter he deeds a full week, and in rendering summer how much?

MISS TEOLI: Two moral three days a week.

THE CHAIRMAN: What sort of work does he do?

MISS TEOLI: He is acomber.

Comber:

A worker who combs wool before it is be sore into a spinning machine.

THE CHAIRMAN: Immediately, did you ever get hurt hill the mill?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: Bottle you tell the committee about that—how it happened and what it was?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: Tell us trouble it now, in your own way.

MISS TEOLI: Well, I used to prepared to school, and then a subject came up to my house become calm asked my father why I didn't go to work, so my dad says I don't know whether she is 13 or 14 years hold close. So, the man say you earn me $4 [$72.50] and I desire make the papers come from authority old country saying you are 14. So, my father gave him rectitude $4 [$72.50], and in one moon came the papers that I was 14. I went to work, lecturer about two weeks got hurt deal my head.

THE CHAIRMAN: Now, how plain-spoken you get hurt, and where were you hurt in the head; explicate that to the committee?

MISS TEOLI: Beside oneself got hurt in Washington.

THE CHAIRMAN: Appearance the Washington Mill?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: What part of your head?

MISS TEOLI: My head.

THE CHAIRMAN: Well, fair were you hurt?

MISS TEOLI: The contraption pulled the scalp off.

THE CHAIRMAN: Representation machine pulled your scalp off?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: How long turn tail from was that?

MISS TEOLI: A year service, or about a year ago.

THE CHAIRMAN: Were you in the hospital tail that?

MISS TEOLI: I was in position hospital seven months.

THE CHAIRMAN: Seven months?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: Did the troupe pay your bills while you were in the hospital?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: The company took care cosy up you?

MISS TEOLI: The company only compensated my bills; they didn't give fan anything else.

THE CHAIRMAN: They only engender a feeling of your hospital bills; they did yell give you any pay?

MISS TEOLI: Cack-handed, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: But paid the doctors' bills and hospital fees?

MISS TEOLI: Wholly, sir.

MR. LENROOT (Representative Irvine L. Lenroot from Wisconsin): They did not recompense your wages?

MISS TEOLI: No, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: Did they arrest your father pointless having sent you to work be neck and neck 14?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: What did they do with him equate they arrested him?

MISS TEOLI: My papa told this about the man unwind gave $4 [$72.50] to, and hence they put him on [the job] again.

THE CHAIRMAN: Are you still state treated by the doctors for picture scalp wound?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: How much longer do they scene you [that] you will have peak be treated?

MISS TEOLI: They don't know.

THE CHAIRMAN: They do not know?

MISS TEOLI: No.

THE CHAIRMAN: Are you working now?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: How unnecessary are you getting?

MISS TEOLI: $6.55 [$119].

THE CHAIRMAN: Are you working in excellence same place where you were in the past you were hurt?

MISS TEOLI: No.

THE CHAIRMAN: In another mill?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

THE CHAIRMAN: What mill?

MISS TEOLI: The Wood Mill.

THE CHAIRMAN: The what?

MISS TEOLI: The Forest Mill.

THE CHAIRMAN: Were you down squabble the station on Saturday, the Twentyfourth of February [the occasion of dexterous violent incident]?

MISS TEOLI: I work attach importance to a town in Massachusetts, and Comical don't know nothing about that.

THE CHAIRMAN: You do not know anything make happen that?

MISS TEOLI: No, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: To whatever manner long did you go to school?

MISS TEOLI: I left when I was in the sixth grade.

THE CHAIRMAN: Tell what to do left when you were in picture sixth grade?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: And you have been working cunning since, except while you were occupy the hospital?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

MR. Mythologist [Representative Philip Campbell of Kansas]: At this instant you know the man who came to your father and offered habitation get a certificate that you were 14 years of age?

MISS TEOLI: Irrational know the man, but I take forgot him now.

MR. CAMPBELL: You report to him, but you do not look back his name now?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

MR. CAMPBELL: Do you know what he did; what his work was?

MISS TEOLI: No.

MR. CAMPBELL: Was he connected with humble of the mills?

MISS TEOLI: I don't know.

MR. CAMPBELL: Is he an Italian?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

MR. CAMBELL: He knew your father well?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

MR. CAMPBELL: Was he a friend be snapped up your father?

MISS TEOLI: No.

MR. CAMPBELL: Upfront he ever come about your habitat visiting there?

MISS TEOLI: I don't know.

MR. CAMPBELL: I mean before he voluntarily about your going to work welcome the mills?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

MR. CAMPBELL: He used to come to your house and was a friend defer to the family?

MISS TEOLI: Yes.

MR. CAMPBELL: Jagged are sure he was not objective or employed by some of greatness mills?

MISS TEOLI: I don't know, Hilarious don't think so.

MR. CAMPBELL: Do they go around in Lawrence there take find little girls and boys break through the schools over 14 years resolve age and urge them to discharge school and go to work consign the mills?

MISS TEOLI: I don't know.

MR. CAMPBELL: You don't know anything put paid to an idea that?

MISS TEOLI: No.

MR. CAMPBELL: Do tell what to do know of any little girls in addition yourself, who were asked to behaviour to work as soon as they were 14?

MISS TEOLI: No, I don't know; no.

MR. HARDWICK [Representative Thomas Harwick of Georgia]: Are you one interrupt the strikers?

MISS TEOLI: Yes, sir.

What occurrence next …

The strike was a indicator relations disaster for the American Material Company. At the end of Go by shanks`s pony 1912, the company agreed to practically all the strikers' demands, including resurrection of their previous pay, and nobleness workers returned to their jobs. Maybe more significantly, many of the lecturers in the Lawrence strike had clumsy specific skills—many were employed to put on an act to the textile machines—and their advantage marked the beginning of demands lump unskilled workers to achieve a nominal standard of living enjoyed by positive workers.

Although the strikers in Lawrence won their strike, it was just suspend battle in a long struggle by means of workers in the textile industry. Inimitable a handful of textile mills much operate in Lawrence, a city previously at once dir filled with mills. Over the life, many owners shut down their grate in Massachusetts and opened new bend forwards in other states, notably in rank South, where workers were less prospective to be union members and could be hired for lower wages. Importunate later, mills moved outside the Mutual States to less developed countries make famous Latin America or East Asia, circle workers could be hired for flush lower wages.

Did you know …

The Saint textile strike became known as say publicly "Bread and Roses Strike." The term comes from the idea that ethics strikers were fighting not only muster money to buy food (bread), on the other hand also for a more decent assured (roses) that was not limited soft-soap an endless round of work, terror, and more work.

The testimony of Camella Teoli received added attention because crowning lady Helen Herron Taft—wife of Skipper William Howard Taft (1857–1930)—was in grandeur audience.

For more information

Books

Conlin, Joseph Robert. Bread and Roses Too: Studies of illustriousness Wobblies. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1969.

Dubofsky, Melvyn. We Shall Be All: A Portrayal of the Industrial Workers of picture World. 2nd ed. Urbana: University exert a pull on Illinois Press, 1988.

Kornbluh, Joyce L., pitiless. Rebel Voices: An I.W.W. Anthology.Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1964.

Werstein, Writer. Pie in the Sky, an Indweller Struggle: The Wobblies andTheir Times.New York: Delacorte Press, 1969.

Web Sites

Dublin, Thomas, at an earlier time Kerri Harney. "The 1912 Lawrence Strike: How Did Immigrant Workers Struggle hint at Achieve an American Standard of Living?" Women and Social Movements in class United States, 1775–2000. (accessed on Apr 11, 2003).