Part 30 (2/2)

Ordinarily the condescension that marks the relations between a designer and his employer is exerted wholly by the designer; and the alarm with which Birsky viewed his designer's servility was immediately communicated to Zapp.

”I told you that silk was too good for them garments, Birsky,” Zapp cried.

”What d'ye mean, you told me the silk was too good?” Birsky shouted. ”I says right along giving silk like that in a garment which sells for eight dollars is a crime, Zapp; and----”

”_Aber_ I ain't touched the silk yet,” Golnik interrupted; ”so what is the use you are disturbing yourself, Mr. Birsky? I am coming to see you about something else again, entirely different already.”

Birsky grew suddenly calm.

”So, Golnik,” he said, ”you are coming here to see us about something else again! Well, before you begin, Golnik, let me tell you you stand a swell chance to gouge us for more money. We would positively stand on our contract with you, Golnik; and even if it would be our busiest season, Golnik, we----”

”What are you talking nonsense, Mr. Birsky?” Golnik broke in. ”I ain't coming here to ask money for myself, Mr. Birsky; and, furthermore, Mr.

Birsky, you must got to understand that nowadays is a difference matter already from conditions in the cloak and suit trade ten years ago.

Nowadays an employer must got to take some little benevolence in the interests of his employees, understand me, which when me and Joseph Bogin and I. Kanef gets together with the operators and formed the Mutual Aid Society Employees of Birsky & Zapp, understand me, we done it as much out of consideration by you, Mr. Birsky, as by us.”

Birsky exchanged disquieting glances with his partner.

”Sit down, Golnik,” he said, ”and tell me what is all this _Verrucktheit_.”

”_Verrucktheit_!” Golnik cried indignantly. ”What d'ye mean, _Verrucktheit_, Mr. Birsky? This here is something which a big concern like H. Dexter Adelstern is taking up, and you would see that other people gets in it, too. These here mutual aid societies is something which it not only benefits the employees but also the employers, Mr.

Birsky.”

”You already said that before, Golnik,” Birsky interrupted; ”and if you think we are paying you you should make speeches round here, Golnik, let me tell you, Golnik, that Feigenbaum would be in our place any minute now; and if we couldn't show him we are going ahead on them 1855's, understand me, the first thing you know he would go to work and cancel the order on us.”

”That may be, Mr. Birsky,” Golnik went on, ”_aber_ this here proposition which I am putting up to you is a whole lot more important to you as Feigenbaum's order.”

Birsky opened his mouth to enunciate a vigorous protest, but Golnik forestalled him by pounding a sample table with his fist in a gesture he had observed only the night before at a lodge meeting of the I.O.M.A. ”Yes, Mr. Birsky,” he shouted, ”if you would want to do away with strikes and loafing in your shop, understand me, now is your chance, Mr. Birsky; because if an operator is got on deposit with his employers ten dollars even, he ain't going to be in such a hurry that he should strike _oder_ get fired.”

”Got on deposit ten dollars?” Zapp inquired. ”How does our operators come to got with us a deposit of ten dollars, Golnik?”

”It's a very simple thing, Mr. Zapp,” Golnik explained: ”From the first five weeks' wages of every one of your hundred operators you deduct one dollar a week and keep it in the bank. That makes five hundred dollars.”

Zapp nodded.

”Then after that you deduct only twenty-five cents a week,” Golnik went on; ”_aber_, at the end of five weeks only, the operator's got ten dollars to his credit--and right there you got 'em where they wouldn't risk getting fired by loafing or striking.”

”_Aber_, if we deduct one dollar a week from a hundred operators for five weeks, Golnik,” Zapp commented, ”that makes only five hundred dollars, or five dollars to each operator--ain't it?”

”Sure, I know,” Golnik replied; ”_aber_ you and Mr. Birsky donate yourselves to the mutual aid society five hundred dollars, and----”

”What!” Birsky shrieked. ”Zapp and me donate five hundred dollars to your rotten society!”

”Huh-huh,” Golnik a.s.serted weakly, and Zapp grew purple with rage.

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