INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



came conspicuously into the trade, and still later the 

 Germans entered the field in great numbers, intro- 

 ducing a system of division of labor in garment-making, 

 that laid the foundation for modern methods as now 

 practised. These Germans worked in families, and 

 the garments were made in their homes, the father 

 doing the machine work, while the mother and children 

 assisted in basting, making buttonholes, sewing on 

 buttons, and finishing. 



THE "TASK SYSTEM" INTRODUCED 



This system continued until about the beginning 

 of the last quarter of the century, when, following the 

 great influx of Russian Jews, the obnoxious "task 

 system" was introduced. By this system the work 

 was done by "teams" consisting of three men an 

 operator, a baster, and a finisher. Besides this team 

 there was usually a presser, and one or more girls for 

 sewing on buttons and making buttonholes. 



Each member of the team made his particular part 

 of the coat, and the amount of work possible to be 

 produced with such a combination was a great increase 

 over the older system. As a rule, the contractor was 

 a member of the team, at least until the business had 

 developed until he could run three or more teams in 

 his shop, when he became a bushelman, or overseer. 

 His workmen were paid by the week, working a stipu- 

 lated number of hours each day, and while there was 

 no contract as to the amount of work which they should 

 produce, there was a tacit understanding as to the 



[so] 



