In a letter written to her sons in 1951, Pauline Newman, who worked at The Triangle Shirt Waist Co. as a young girl, described one of the pivotal chapters in her life as an activist.
“One evening I was walking home from a long day’s work. It was summer. But by evening the air was a bit cool and I rather liked the walk home. The sights were familiar, the usual signs of poverty and all the resulting misery therefrom. As I saw the little children playing in the gutter, the men and women looking tired and drab, the dark and filthy tenements I thought — dear God, will this ever be different? When I got home I sat down and wrote:
“While at work I am thinking only of my own drab existence. I get discouraged and a bit low in my mind – every day the same foreman, the same forelady, the same shirt waists, shirt waists and more shirt waists. The same machines, the same surroundings. The day is long and the task tiresome. In despair I ask — “dear God will it ever be different?”. And on my way home from work I see again those lonely men and women with hopeless faces, tired eyes; harrassed by want and worry — I again ask “will it ever be different?”. I wrote more of the same and when it was done I decided to send it to the Forward. Of course I did not expect it to be accepted or published. I did not think it was good enough for publication. I was not a writer and I knew it. But, I did want to express my feelings and get them down on paper. There was satisfaction in doing just that. I posted the article and did not give it another thought.
A few days later, it was a Saturday, as I was approaching the Triangle factory I noticed a number of my fellow workers holding the Forward and pointing to something, and when they saw me they all shouted congratulation and hailed me as a conquering hero — for my piece was published! I could hardly believe it! but there it was, my name and all. This I believe was one of the highlights in my life. Perhaps a minor one compared with what was to follow in the years ahead. However, at the time it was an achievement I did not anticipate. Encouraged by the success of my first attempt to give expression to my thoughts and feelings I tried again and again and each time my articles and stories were accepted and published. I became “famous” almost over night. In a small way I became the voice of the less articulate young men and women with whom I worked and with whom later I was to join in the fight for improved working conditions and a better life for us all.
(http://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/primary/letters/paulinenewman.html)
Young immigrants write to Pauline after seeing her letter in the Forward. Here are their various perspectives:
Dear Pauline Newman,
I am Emma Croquet. I am an immigrant from France and I am 10 years old. I work in a factory too and I have realized throughout these months, I have been treated unfairly. I wish I could strike and I love what you are doing but my Aunt will not allow it. She is to overly protective of me.
The girls in my factory that strike have been beaten and have not been paid throughout the the time they have been striking. I admirer you and the factory girls that strike very much.
Are forelady will deduct pay if we go to the bathroom for more than 3 minutes! And she hired people to beat the workers that strike! Plus, she treats us like we are her servants!
Please help us and my factory workers. We need it.
Sincerely,
Emma (Alden)
Dear Pauline,
My name is Naomi and I’m from Ethiopia. I don’t go to school or work at a factory but I am with you. I work at my parent’s bakery. I came to America because there was rumor that a group of people are taking over villages one at a time and they were close to my village. My parents also had more money in America because of the bakery. My Aunt Adama came with me. Aunt Adama is surprisingly working in a factory though she is 27. I am sixteen and should be working in a factory but am not, I’m at the bakery.
I like what you wrote in the News. I agree with you. But not everyone does. Which means I hope you know people are only working because of the pay they need for themselves and their families. But I think if a lot of people stand up for what’s right, then we will win and America will change, but if we don’t America and our lives will forever stay the same. I hope we can get many to change their minds.
Sincerely, Naomi Asrate (Jade)
P.S. Me and others will forever be with you Pauline.
Dear Pauline Newman,
My name is Vladimir Cohen and I am a factory worker at Leonardo’s. The factory conditions are ok but not the best and I believe they should be better. Me and my fellow workers are going to eventually start a union and fight for better working conditions. I live in a tenement on the Lower East Side and my family really needs the money that I make.
I admire how much you fight for better conditions. To me I want to follow in your footsteps. I think you are a great role model to everyone and you are the person I look up to and despite our small age difference I want to follow in your footsteps. I think you are doing a great job striking and making speeches. I like how you are thinking about the community and yourself while striking and sharing your voice.
Me and my fellow factory workers plan to go on strike and risk losing our job and going to jail and not getting paid. I also agree to think about the world not just myself. I truly want to help you make our working conditions better. Everyday I wish I was back in Russia where our work was fair. I am in this with you to get fair treatment.
I think that in unity we can change the world and every day I try to do that. You can count on me to be on your side and help you go through our battle. Seeing and hearing about you in press every day encourages me to do all the things I do every day. All other people are lucky to have your in this world to help guide us through the process of striking.
One day I hope to meat you. Everyday I think to myself, how can I be like Pauline. I truly want to get involved so if there are any jobs you have for me I will pleasurably do them. So Pauline, Let’s change the world now so it will impact the future.
Sincerely,
Vladimir Cohen (Asher)
P.S. I hope to one day be as brave and courageous as you.
Hi my name is Paul Weber. I am 10 years old. I saw what was in the press and I also agree with you. Will the factory conditions ever change? Me and my roommate, Tony work in a factory too. I have my brother George and two other people living with me. Lorenzo Brigode and Emilio. Me and Tony work as blacksmiths and Lorenzo and Emilio work as peddlers who sell their farming produce. Our pay is $3.50 a week. I do not want to go on strike because I could lose my job and not be able to find another one. How does the fear and danger of striking not stop you? I personally like my job and can not afford to lose money. Every cent of it. But even though I like the job, I definitely agree with you. It is hard work and long, long hours and low pay. The bathroom breaks are insane! We get three minutes just to go to the bathroom. I think you are inspiring and have powerful words.
Thank you for the opportunity to talk to you!
Sincerely,
Paul Weber (Yves)
Dear Pauline,
My name is Saoirse Moore. I am also a factory girl like you, but I have the privilege of going to school when I can, though my Da says that when my sister and I turn thirteen we will have to work full time. I am not looking forward to that. If you are wondering, I am ten right now.
I am really inspired by what you did in the newspaper, even though I don’t read that newspaper as I am Irish, not Jewish. I would like to be more involved in strikes and such, but my sister Sabina is more brave than me. She goes to most of them. I hope that if you write back to me that you can explain to me how you got up the courage to do what you did. I feel the same way that you do.
Two of my best friends, Amisha and Rosalind, are bakers. They don’t understand how it feels to work in the sweatshops. Today we had an inspection. I was thrown in the crate. When the inspectors came I could her my supervisor lying about us underage workers, and how we supposedly “don’t work on Sundays and Saturdays.” I work those hours every week. I just don’t understand how these people could be so cruel.
I am honored that what you did has made my coworkers happy and inspired. You have made me inspired. Your thoughts are the exact same as mine. I am just so happy that someone finally stood up.
Thank you for writing to the Jewish Daily Forward!
From,
Saoirse Moore (Margot)
Pauline went on to organize women garment workers in shops throughout lower Manhattan, paving the way for the
uprising of the 20,000 1909—the largest strike by American women workers to that time.
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Pauline was very determined to get those working rights corrected. I would never want to go on strike ever because you could die!
I agree with Jade/Naomi about how not all people liked and/or agreed with Pauline. I think that it was brave of Pauline to put that on the news and Jade/Naomi saw that to. She showed that even people who aren’t going through the same things still understand what was going on, and still have a side that they agree with, though not all people in factories did.
I think everyone did a great job putting their persona into the past in this creative writing project. I really enjoyed reading Ezra’s letter because I thought that I read a very clear piece of writing. And Margot, I agree. I really admire her, she has done so many great things.
I think everyone did a great job putting their persona into the past in this creative writing project. I really enjoyed reading Ezra’s letter because I thought that I read a very clear piece of writing. And Margot, I agree. I really admire her, she has done so many great things.
Deborah, sorry I commented twice. I do not know why they put me as Anonymous
I agree with Jade because she said that not everyone is going to agree with Pauline but Pauline was still striking. I think what she did is really inspiring.
Thanks, whoever wrote that anonymous comment. Anyway, I agree with pretty much everybody. I bet that she inspired all the people who read her quote in the paper (get ready for big money, newsies!).
Pauline’s work inspired me greatly. But I’m trying to think deeper in. I am thinking about what it would be like for me to strike in the moment. I would want to strike for my friends, and because it is the right thing to do. But I have to think deeper in. I have to think that I might get fired, which would be a great dent in my family’s bank account. I am not sure if I would strike or not.
Some of her work has really made me think about how this has made a mark in our lives. I think that it is good that even though some people think that if they do the same thing that Pauline has done that they will be fired, but they can still be inspired by her. I don’t care about being fired much, I just want to work in a place that has good conditions.
-Saoirse (as Margot)
I think that she really inspired a lot of people and how she held back her pain and tears. For example she has broken 6 ribs but will not budge.
I like how she stood up in front of everyone to make a change. And how she had hope in the most oppressing times.