The Government must absolutely prevent this. Just as it had funds for export premiums, it must now find a solution for unemployment. All state control and tailoring and shoemaking workshops for the military and other categories of officials must be abolished; economic centers should be established to prepare cut material for tailors and distribute it for finishing without favoritism, but in cooperation with trade unions.

Poland is a poor country; it must produce cheaply to ensure sales. Artisans and small industrialists have adapted to price reductions, while large industry has cartelized its products with excessive profits. Directors receive exorbitant salaries, and a whole series of factories are closing to maintain high prices for raw materials and semi-finished goods.

Credit has completely ceased for artisans; everything must be bought for cash. Meanwhile, artisans and small industrialists are paid with long-term bills of exchange, without any profit, exploiting unfair competition and their current critical situation.

And now, an indirect matter: The Government must not allow one-third of the urban population to be ruined by excessively high taxes and social contributions. A large number of workshops stand empty precisely because these charges exceed their earnings.

It is pointless to discuss high social contributions and excessive taxes, as we lack words for continuous protests. We note that social contributions alone in small industry amount to 18% of labor earnings, in addition to taxes. How can one work under such difficult conditions to earn a living for one’s family, pay rent, electricity, taxes, and so on?

The following figures serve as an approximation:

SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

Employer Worker

Health Insurance Fund 9% — ⅗ ⅖

Accident Insurance 2—3% paid by employer

Unemployment Fund 2% — ¾ ¼

Pension scheme for intellectual workers 10% — ⅗ ⅖

Vacations 5% paid by employer.

Such a state of affairs must halt all work in workshops and lead to their closure, casting this mass of artisans and small industrialists into the abyss of crisis and unemployment.

Taxes: Patent, turnover, income, tenant, new crisis tax, and electricity tax. Fees and taxes for the maintenance of guilds and professional associations.

The quickest assistance is necessary from both the government and society, as the country will suffer if hundreds of thousands of workshops are deprived of the ability to work.

M. Fischer, Kraków.

IS A TAILOR OBLIGATED TO INSPECT FABRIC PROVIDED BY THE CLIENT?

Our esteemed readers send such questions to “Odzież” (Apparel). Here’s what happened: Our reader received fabric for 12 coats from a certain office. He did not inspect it before cutting, but instead cut and sewed all 12 coats. Defects were found in the sleeves of two coats, not due to the tailor’s fault but the fabric factory’s. Now the office refuses to accept these two coats or pay for the work, relying on the law that the tailor must procure other fabric and make new coats,

claiming it is the tailor’s fault for not inspecting the fabric beforehand. If he had inspected the fabric beforehand and immediately lodged a complaint, he would not have been responsible for such a defect; rather, the fabric supplier would have been. However, for defects in the fabric of a finished piece, the tailor is responsible. So, colleagues, inspect the fabric before you cut it and complain immediately to avoid responsibility for defects and the costs arising therefrom. Who will now pay for the work on two coats and new fabric for them? Such is the tailor’s fate.