New-York tribune., 1902-05-29
OPPOSED TO CHILD LABOR.
FIVE CHARITABLE BODIES TAKE UP
THE GAUNTLET.
BE CHIEF VIOLATORS-PRAC
FATAL To DEVELOPMENT

FATAL To DEvELOPMENT,
The encouraging fact was learned yesterday
that five charitable organizations were waging.
or were preparing to wage. a stern fight against
the Illegal employment Of children in this city.
These potent factors for good are bending
their energies practically to rout Of
istence an evil the extent Of which is unfort-
unate'y great. The organizations which have
undertaken the struggle for justice and fair
play are tho University Settlement. No. ~
El6ridSe-st.. cf which Robert Hunter is head
worker. the Society for Ethical Culture. Of
which Professor FeltV Adler is the leader. the
I'nu"d Garment Workers Of America. Room
30. Bible House. # which Henry White Is gen
eral secretary: the College Settlement. No. -
Fdvington-st. % which Miss Eliza beth :. VIII
Jams is head worker. and the Consumers
League. No. 1o5 East Twenty-second-st.. Of
which Mrs Frederick Nathan is president.
VITAL To WELFARE OF POOR CHILDREN.
From the Investigations already made by
these leaders in the work Of reform, as well as
from practical researches made by The Trib-
une. sufficient evidence has been gained to show
that decided change in existing conditions is
vital to the welfare Of the poor children. The
subject is particularly opportune with the COM
ing Of the dangerously hot summer season
The committee on child labor of the Associa-
tiOn Of NeighbOrhoOd Workers. of which Mr
Hunter is chairman. has learned that legal pro-
lection is given only to children working in
stores and factories. IN these places no child
under the age Of fourteen can he employed In
the case Of mercantile establishments an excep-
ton is made. The law permits the employment
of children over twelve years old in the vaca-
tions Of tho public schools provided they secure
certificate from the Board Of Health BY law
minors are allowed 10 work sixty hours week
but in the last week in December restrictions
are thrown aside and little children are often
kept twelve hours day in some of the large
department stores. as well as in the smaller
stores on the east and west sides Of the city
Former administrations have construed the per
mission 10 work in the vacations Of the public
schools to include the time after school hours
and on saturdays. So it is a common thing 70
find children exhausted by the double Iabors Of
attending school until o'clock in the after
noon and working until long after dark.
\ FEW RANDOM CASES
The Tribune has already told the story Of TWO
children four and five years old, who after the
day at school and refreshments of stale bread
ana coffee. were regularly forced TO work with
out intermission until II o'clock at night clip
PING paper bags. Another case is that Of two
children. seven and eight years old. who have
been seen carrying baskets If coal from a dingy
coal cellar at No. 90 Cannon-st These bows il
I".I'I- me boys carry thirty pound baskets Of
t'al 10 fourth and fifth story flats in th,. neigh
h"thood OF their fathers store. A tot of a Sav
~" q month or Two in his first pair ot kniCker-
Rockers. has been seen at No. l46 Sufrolk-st
stiuSsHns with a basket Of coal bigger than
h'm>ef, as an East Side dweiler told a Tribune
reporter yesterday. These cases picked at ran
don from an unComfortably long list of equally
fragrant violations of the law Justify every ef
fort on the part of intelligent workers 40 bring
about immediate cessation Of si1cb aIuSae
The evils arising from child Iabor are Two
f.F Tha, V~y,g,-
ueHltht- Competition with the Underpaid la Dor
OF children naturally drives down the wages Of
the parents. Being set To work at such an
carry age ana kept at work for such long hours
ar" absolutely fatal TO the mental moral and
physical development II the child. At the best
thG chld 81 the tenement has but small chance
IN lie and when he is forced To- become a wage
Garner almost as soon as he can walk as many
"f them are. even that small chance is taken
from him"
THE BOSS TURNED THE CLOCK RACK
r. G. Rtnswalt, in charge Of the Rivington-st
branch Of the Legal Aid Society. at No -
RiTington-st.. told Of Il number of distressing
cases which had been recently brought to his
attention. Not long ago two young girls called
AT his office. They asked him To- help them
recover wages from their employer. "a petty
manufacturer Of clothes. When h. questioned
them. the older girl told this story.
Il GOT certificate letting me work when
was fourteen. because l was bright and had
been 10 school | went 70 the shop at = O'Clock
ami worked until O'Clock at night as /
thought II was very hard work because the
light was very bad and the air was too and
couldn't look Up from needle ever. because
that WASH n allowed by the rules. Just think |
couldn't take my eyes of nv work ever. Then
when II was . o'clock Ia go home wondering
why felt so sick and hungry My mother
would sculG me for not coming straight home.
She said stayed in the street and didn't hurry
TO dinner and then she'd show me the clock.
which was 30 | knew hadn't been an hour
and a half coming homr. and | said so but my
mother wouldn't believe So IL went on like
that till one time. about when were quitting
sewing l broke IN" rules and looked up the
clock. and there the boss turning il back
He turned ii back over an hour. He'd been
l0inr riphf along a nd hat ,.Ic c,,h, r4s