Wage Labor, Slave Labor on the Block In Two Periods of American History
Oneal, James
Wage Labor, Slave Labor on the Block In Two Periods of American History By James Oneal THE opening of a "slave market" in Los Angeles where jobless men and women are auctioned off the "block" to...
...k__ What's the difference, you "freemen" of the great capitalist republie~6f the United States...
...None o' yo' gentlemen don't want no liklier boy'n him...
...That was left to his owner or to an auctioneer...
...In fo' yeah mo' he'll be biggah'n me, an' wo'th mo' 'an a thousand dollahs on youh plan-ta-fion er in any mahket, ef he's wo'th a cent...
...L. E. Arricot criedSold for 35 Cents...
...Why gentlemen, sho' yo' don't expect me to give 'im to yo' 1 Heah, boy, show them gentlemen, how yo' kin run...
...That'll do...
...Byrens said...
...Wage Labor, Slave Labor on the Block In Two Periods of American History By James Oneal THE opening of a "slave market" in Los Angeles where jobless men and women are auctioned off the "block" to the highest bidders...
...The account » taken from Frederick Bancroft's Slave-Trading in the Old South...
...What Is the Difference...
...The boy is eventually sold "fo' seven hunded an' five dollahs to Mr...
...he was willing to wait until all were satisfied...
...Here's a big, strong fellow...
...Sold for 35 cents an hour to Mrs...
...Now who'll say five hundred...
...Thank yo', Jedge...
...say six...
...Step up and feel those muscles...
...Yo'll.see theah ain't a lot theah what you' won't want t' own...
...The boy jumped off the block and ran up and down the room, while all watched his quick and energetic movements...
...Socialism will abolish the commodity character of labor power, making 'it no longer necessary for the worker to sell himself or to be sold by auctioneers...
...Wall away...
...Auctioned for a term in one case and for life in the other, but sold as commodities in both cases in a labor market...
...Millions cannot sell it today...
...Now, what do I heah fo' 'im...
...come heah, boy...
...And there are millions of the jobless who cannot even find an auction block with an auctioneer to exhibit them in a public market...
...Hazel Wall, a divorcee, who said she could cook, do housework and operate a typewriter, mounted the block...
...Byrens repeated...
...Fifty cents—last call—going, going, gone to Mr...
...Eight persons "were sold at prices ranging from 33 1-3 cents an hour to 50 cents...
...Now, do I heah six...
...Of co'se yo' will', two o' yo...
...Here is the account of the Los Angeles auction: The Sales in Los Angeles Spirited bidding developed over Henry Marion, who said that although he was a salesman, a shipping clerk, a truck driver, a common laborer and a typist, he had been out of work four years...
...Gentlemen, I'm goin' f give yo' a bahgin...
...Why yo* could learn 'im—to sew, learn 'im anything...
...The Negro was also a commodity but he never had, to undertake his own sale...
...Step up and feel those muscles," said the auctioneer in Los Angeles...
...Theah'l two gentlemen what know a good sahvant...
...He paused to look for signs of doubts...
...Now, Kyonel (Colonel), will yo' make it five fifty...
...The bidding recalls old scenes out of the past when Negro slaves were sold on the block...
...Mrs...
...Did you-all evah see a finer lot'n this heah boy...
...What do I hear, gentlemen ?" "Thirty-three and one-third cents an hour," shouted some one in the crowd...
...Here's a big, strong fellow," Mr...
...The Socialist Party is the anti-slavery party of today...
...Arricot," the auctioneer exclaimed as Mrs...
...Then he continued: "Now, gentlemen, ain't yo' foun' 'em ez I tol' yo" ? Ah yo' radey t' begin ?" Then, as an aside: "Come heah, boy...
...T,'.'.cr...
...Arricot, a cafe owner, took Mrs...
...She can cook anything...
...Vote against the system that makes merchandise of the workers and usher in a society where industry will be our collective property, employment will be guaranteed to all, and ample incomes will be enjoyed by the useful masses I -¦——-1-'_:_i_i__i...
...I'ou-all know good niggers...
...They ah sol' fo' no fault, an' ever' one of 'em is wahanted...
...But look at 'em fo' yo'se'f...
...Such is the announcement in a news dispatch last week...
...He'll soon make a good gentleman's sahvant, er a gyahdnah —how much do yo' bid...
...Fifty I have...
...He's a salesman...
...So a "philanthropist" turns auctioneer and undertakes to sell labor power in the open .market...
...Capitalism has transformed labor power into a commodity that i*> bought and sold in the market...
...The auctioneer mounts the platform and begins: The Sales in Richmond "Gentlemen...
...Fifty cents twice...
...No, yo' nevah...
...The "buyer" led Marion away to employment on a house moving project...
...Tom Bonnesar bid 50 cents an hour for G. H. Smith, father of four children, who offered to do some electrical work at that price...
...He's only twelve yeah ol^an' I waliant him ez soun' ez a dollah...
...Kirkman...
...He's intell'gent and reli'ble^^whaTlj yo' staht 'im at, sah ?"—turning his keen eyes on a pros|>erous-looking man that was show-, ing special interest...
...A comparison between this Los Angeles auction and the former auctions in Southern cities shows a striking similarity...
...make it six hundud...
...Examining the Human Commodity Several i>ersons moved up near the auction block to take another close look at the boy...
...Let us turn from the Los Angeles labor mart to a slave auction in a Southern dry before the Civil "War...
...Thank yo', suh...
...Here's a pretty girl," Mr...
...Jcnks...
...The services of Jose Mendoza, a cement worker and father of six children, brought 50 cents an hour from Joe Firman, house mover...
...Fifty cents an hour...
...She's a good housemaid and she can type your letters...
...See them han's...
...What am I bid...
...Ain't he a likely nigger ever* ways...
...Byrens barked in the best auctioneer manner...
...Thirty-five cents," Mrs...
...He kin hoe co'n er cott'n, drive, wait, er run errunds, er learn, any trade...
...The worker is required to sell it...
...Fifty cents an hour," cried G. N. Kirkman, a house mover, after others had offered from 33 1-3 cents to 45...
...Heah, boy, show them gentlemen how yo' kin run," said the auctioneer in Richmond...
...I'm goin' to sell yo' this mornin' some ez likely niggers ez evah yo' seen put up...
...The owners of industry have no use for it...
...He's a truck driver...
Vol. 14 • July 1932 • No. 3
