The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
CHILD SLAVERY IN FRANCE.
Disclosures Concerning the Sale OF italian
Rows to Agents OF Glass Eorks.

Boys to Agents OF Glass Works.
Public attention has been turned to a form Of
slave trade now carried on in France and Italy
by disclosures which are being made on the sub
ject. The victims are Italian children who arc
bought from their parents by padrones and
forced to work in glass factories, chiefly in the
central part OF France. Formerly large num-
beers Of these children were sold into virtual
slavery rs bcggars. when mutilations were
practiccd upon them to excite sympathy, rs
musicians and as chimney sweeps. That slave
trade was suppressed. but the law does not
reach the present form.
The children bring from 100 to $50 francs 800
to $500. and are sold for a period Of three years.
1t is so much money found and n mouth less to
fill, tho peasants say. The contracts are duly
executed before u notary, and the village priest
blesses tho departing convoy OF little ones.
There are no statistics of the mortality among
them, but it was calculated formerly that of 100
children taken from their homes by padrones 20
returned home at. the end OF their period Of
slavery. 30 settled permanently in their new
surroundings, and the other 80 died; and, in
view OF the conditions in which they ind them
Tesses to SUE SUPPOSE sss'' that M1fA the ' moftaliiy i is
any less now. Their ages vary from IL to IL
years; The French law lorbids, the employment
of children less than l3 years old at such work,
but that is cvadcd easily. Their services are
sold TO the manufacturers at from 81 TO $l3 n
Hiouth' ntSoih4hs, ~ lily ioShiitS' anu. tney
work ten hours a day. The padrones pocket all
their wages and sometimes oven the Rratuities
that may be distributed among ,hc employees
OF an establishment upon special occasions.
Their condition i'll the factories Is described as
shocking. They work in n superheated Amos
phere, charged in addition with nONious guscs,
and are constantly exposed to severe accidents.
while their injuries do not receive proper treat
ment. They are especially subject to lung
troubles. Bad as their normal state is, in many
cases IT IS aggravated b. the brutality of the
regular wOrkmen, who hate them both as being
Italians and as WORKING at far below the regular
scale of wages. They are, naturally, i'll fed.
A magistrate who was called upon to make
an investigation in a certain case found
that their chief fare was soupc uur lGgumes
and bread. with occasionally a bit of cheese and
some wine, but never any meat. 1t is estimated
that the cost OF sustenance of these children
ranges from 8 to y cents "a day each 10 the
padrone. In one case the cost Of feeding thir-
teen of the little slaves was found to be 40 cents
n day. The children are as wretched in appear
ance as is to be expected. They are lodged in i'll
smelling teneinents. three and four on u mat
tress OF sodden straw. with rarely any cover
ings. even in winter. They are clio he'd in rags.
for the padrones do not permit them TO carry
any luggage from their homes. to save expense.
The number of these children can only he
guessed at. 1t Is estimated that in two depart
mcnts ! 300 are employed. More children arc
constantly being brought into France from Italy
TO take the place Of those who die or become
creasing demand for cheap labor. SO great has
the demand become of late that girls as we'll as
boys are being sold by their parents. The atten-
ton OF the French and the Italian Government
has been called to the matter, and the trade will
be regulated II not suppressed.