a few separate groups. I have already dealt with the textile workers, who represent those workers most thoroughly brought under the conditions of modern machine production. The rickshaw and cart coolies, who are the least directly influenced by modern methods in their work will balance the picture. These two groups may be taken as the two extremes of the working class in Wuhan. Conditions of artisans here are much the same as elsewhere.
The rickshaw and cart coolies are very thoroughly organized. There are 29,900 members of the Union; of these, 17,000 are public rickshaw pullers, the others being: Private rickshaws, 3,000; Carters, 5,000; Carriages, 600; Automobiles, 600; Lorries, 1,600; Bicycles, 400; Car repairers, 700; Car manufacturers, 700.
The basic group is the public rickshaw pullers, whose earnings set the standard upon which other coolie wages are set. The secretary of the Union informed me that an extensive investigation by the Union (since the Union raised fares) has shown average gross earnings by these men of 2,000 cash (the large copper coin is 20 cash, therefore 100 coppers, which were worth at that time 160 to the Chinese dollar). Out of this, the man must pay rent for the rickshaw, license, tax ,and "squeeze" for one or two middlemen, totalling 1,100 cash (equals 55 coppers). He has left as his net earnings, on the average, 45 coppers, or 900 cash, which are worth 28 cents Chinese silver (equals 28 kopecks Russian, 14 cents American, or 7 pence English). Out of this he must support himself and family. As a result, their living conditions are unspeakably miserable and vile.
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