New-York tribune., 1903-03-08
S. P C. C. AND CHILD LABOR LAWS
The society's Position Outlined by President
Lindsay.

John D. Lindsay, president of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children. said yesterday
in regard to pending legislation on child labor:
The position of our society in respect to the Child
Labor bills in the Senate Committee on the
Judiciary has not been accurately reported in the
I Snpnse but on the contrary distinctly favors.
the passage of three of the four measures dealing
with the subject in question. They are pracuCEal
bills, and if properly enforced will accomplish the
The, only Suggestion which the society makes in
connection with them is that they should prohibit
the employment in factories or mercantile eStao-
lishments anywhere of children during the summer
The measure which the society does oppose. and
which it Will continue to oppose W5th T IRe gTgIes gs
Of this bill is most worthy one but the Dill user
Xcio0s Y 60s 9Iy for the FoiloSng Teasons:
First-There is nothing wrong or injurious in the
SEs B0a Sho sf"S does nos the
to get INTO trouble as the boy who has no occupa-
tion. The evils Of vicious and depraved associa-
which street children are subjected are certainly
no greater IN the case OF neWsooy5 than IN 6hat OF
patton to engage even a part Of their time
iuteiy prohibited by Penal Code sections 29 and 2s2
from peddling Or from engaging In any Ta9derpg
occupation Of bootblacks. There should certainly
ceSsaTy e @ fOT the protaeton % Of the Children The
act proposes to license not only neWsooys between
girls as well as boys between ten and fourteen to
Third-The act permits the Issuance Of licenses to
girls between ten and fourteen years ct age, as
Girls between fourteen and sixteen are not re-
ferred to at all, that they may act as newsgtrls
without any license. Nothing could be more un-
fortunate to child rescue work than the enactment
of statutory permission of this character. Allow
ing girls under sixteen years OF age to sell news
papers in the street recalls the grOSsest of
immortality record in this society. where the
prostitution Of little girls was traceabe directly to
the practice Of selling newspapers and TO similar
street occupations.
Fourth-AH children whose parents. guardians
custodiahs willing to apply for permission and
furnish the necessary school record, evidence
Of age, etc. may procure licenses and badges. pro-
Vided the school officer is satisfied by personal
animation Of the child that he or she possesses
the proper intellectual and physical qualifications
But no orphan child; for whom no guardian has
been appointed. who has custodian, and
child who has been deserted by its parents or guar
dian. can obtain permit This class of uufortu-
nate children, who have greater need for employ
ment than any other class is absolutely denied the
privileges Of the law.
Fifth-A child violating the provisions Of the act
Is made liable to summary arrest. But when the
ca@s comes before the court or magistrate, there
can be no commitment OF the child to an institu-
tion unless the magistrate IS satisfied tFat the
parent guardian custodian has used due dill
gence and has been unable to restrain 1t. No pro-
vision is made for the disposition Of child found
violating the provisions Of the act who has no
parent guardian or custodian.