Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03

The Netherlands.
Protective labor legislation In the Meth
erlands may be said to have begun with
the enactment of the law Of September 10.
1874. concerning the employment of chill
dren. By this law the employment Of
children under twelve years Of age was pro-
hibited except In field work and domestic
service Numerous attempts were made to
amend this law by making the restrictions
upon child labor more rigid. Nothing, how
ever, was accomplished until 1886, when
parliamentary commission was appointed to
make an investigation into the whole ques-
ton of the conditions of labor in factories
and workshops, with special reference to
the working of the law of 1874, and what
further legislation was desirable.
The work of this commission was inter-
rupted by the dissolution of parliament in
August, 1887, but before separating the
commission presented valuable report upon
the work it had done, and made various
recommendations for legislative action.
Among these was that for the further reg
ulation of the employment of children and
the limitation of the employment of women.
In 1883 the minister of justice introduced
bill to carry out this recommendation. 1t
became law May 5, 1850. and with slight
notifications constitutes the law now in
force.
Conditions In Italy.
In Italy efforts to regulate the employ
ment of children were made as early as
1913 On.December Of that year royal
order was issued which prohibited the en-
ployment of children under nine years of
age in large Industrial establishments, and
of children under fourteen years of age in
industries which were dangerous to health
or life in the districts of Venice and Lom-
hardy. The order also contained certain
provisions regarding night work, hours OF
labor. etc The lack of officials specially
appointed to enforce this law soon led to it's
becoming practically a dead letter.
For over forty years no further advance
was made in the enactment of general
factory legislation, with the exception of
the law of November 20. 1850. in relation
hibiting the employment of children under
ten years of age below ground On Feb
| ruary IL, 1886, however, a new law was
passed regarding the employment of chill
dren. which repealed the act of 1S43 and
| constitutes the law now in force regard
ing this subject
In the meantime little or no progress has
been made in the direction of the regua-
ton of industrial work with a view to the
protection of the health Of employees and
| the prevention of accidents.
Norway and Sweden.
| In Norway general order of May 16,
1860, providing for the creation Of public
| health commission contained certain pro-
visions regarding the ventilation of build
| ings that applied to factories Another
order. March IA, 1874, provided that where
| any industry presented unusual danger
| either to the public or to the employees the
authorities could make special regulations
| to lessen the danger. These provisions. as
| may be judged, were of relatively little
| importance. In 1885 a general commission
| was appointed to investigate the whole
subject of the need for special labor legis-
| latfon The result of the inquiry of this
| body, which extended over number of
years, was the formulation Of a bill which,
after considerable discussion and some mod
| ification became the law of June q 1892
| concerning the inspection and regulation
| of labor in factories.
This law is sufficiently comprehensive al
most to warrant it's designation as a gen.
eral factory act. 1t contains provisions
concerning the employment of women and
| children, Sunday work, the payment of
| wages the protection Of the health and
| lives of employees, etc.
| In Sweden the laws in force provide that
| no child under twelve years Of age shall be
employed in factory or other establishment
| No child between the ages of twelve and
fourteen years shall be employed unless he
has completed his primary education and
has the health and strength fitting him for
the work for which he is intended. Children
of this age must not be permitted to work
| in factories more than six hours a day,
broken by an interval of rest Of at least
| half an hours duration. Young persons
from fourteen to eighteen years of age
must not be employed in factories more
|
| of rest of at least two hours, of which at
least one and one-haf hours must be before
3 pm. Children and young persons must
not be allowed to remain during their in
| terValS OF rest In rooms where work Is be-
| ing performed, nor be employed in the work
of cleaning machines while they are in mo-
ton.
No child or young person under eighteen
| years of age shall be employed at night
| that is, between the hours of pm. and
6 am. Young persons under fifteen years
of age must attend school as required by
the school board. No young person or wo
man shall be employed below ground ir
mines or quarries. The employment OF
young persons in work that Is especially
dangerous or fatiguing shall be regulated
by special provisions. Exceptions to the
foregoing provisions can be accorded to EN-
ployers for not more than four weeks PEI
| year. but in no case shall children be per
mitted to work before am. or after
pm.
Legislatfon in Denmark.
Factory legislation in Denmark date.
from the enactment, May %, 1873, of a Law
regulating the employment of children ant
young persons in factories. This law pro
vides that all establishments carrying OF
work according to factory methods and EN-
ploying persons under eighteen years o
age shall be subject to the government su
| pervision and regulations provided by tn
act. The most important of these provis
ions are as follows:
Children under ten years of age must no
be employed in factories as above described
Children between ten and fourteen years c
age must not be employed more than 81,
, and half In each twenty-four hours. in
elusive of rest of at least one-half hour
and they must not be permitted to work be
, fore am. or after pm. If they worl
before IL am. they must not be employs
after 1 pm. either In the same or in an
: other establishment
Young persons Of both sexes betwee
fourteen and eighteen years of age mus
not be allowed to work moro than twelv
hours daily, or before am after
, pm Intervals Of rest Of total duration
of not less than two hours coming betwee
the hours of 8 a and p. m, one and che
I half hours of which must be before 3 pm
! must be included in the twelve hours tina
I they are permitted to work.
Children and young persons must not
allowed to remain during their meal hour
: in rooms in which work is being carried or
l Where dust or other injurious substance
are generated In the prosecution of tn
| work the health authorities can order tina
: the children and young persons be provide
with a clean room In which to pass thei
: intervals of rest and meal times
q Children must not be employed on Sur
: days and church holidays. Young person
!, | of the female sex and children must. q