"The wages of the linen workers in Ireland are the lowest received in any
mills in the United Kingdom."

Then Mr. Gordon added:

"Another pre-war report by Dr. H. W. Bailie, chief medical officer of
Belfast, commented on the low wage of the sweated home worker--the report
has since been suppressed. I remember one woman he told about. She
embroidered 300 dots for a penny. By working continuously all week she
could just make $1.50.[2]

"Pay's not the only thing," continued Mr. Gordon. "Working condition's
another. Go to the mills and see the wet spinners. The air of the room they
work in is heavy with humidity. There are the women, waists open at the
throat, sleeves rolled up, hair pulled back to prevent the irritation of
loose ends on damp skins, bare feet on the cement floor. At noon they
snatch up their shawls and rush home for a hurried lunch. It's not
surprising that Dr. Bailie reported that poor working conditions were
responsible for many premature births and many delicate children. Nor that
the low pay of the workers made them easy prey to tuberculosis. He wrote
that, as in previous years, consumption was most prevalent among the
poor.[3]

"Why such pay and such working conditions?" asked Mr. Gordon. "Because
before the war there were only 400 of us organized. Labor organizer after
labor organizer fought for the unity of the working people. But no sooner
would such a speaker rise oft a platform than there would be calls from all
parts of the house: 'Are ye a Sinn Feiner?', 'What's yer religion?' or 'Do
ye vote unionist?' There was no way out. He had to declare himself. Then