New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-18
THEY DODGE THE Law.
Hoo Boys and Girls Of Working
Age Mast Elude Inspectors.

Tell her TO go TO work and dodge the inspec-
tors"
The speaker a district superintendent Of
schools and the attendance officer had been con-
rulting him about girl whose working papers
had been refused by the Board OF Health.
That girl is fifteen years old" said the district
superintendent turning to Tribune reporter, who
was present, but she can't prove it. Not one in
ten OF foreign born children can prove his or her
age and on this account the present child labor
laws are working great hardship In many cases.
They are also making a great deal Of work for
district superntendents Since this legislation went
into force We have really become mere adjunct
20 the Labor Department
The law does not accept school records as an
evidence Of age" continued the superintendent,
and & great many children able 10 adduce no
other Roman Catholic children have certificates
Of baptism. but the children Of Russian Jews
never have any kind Of birth certificate. while
such evidence of their age as they can produce IS
almost certain be incorrect They are s-nuggled
into life and smuggled out Of the country As
taxes are proportional 70 the size OF the family
ana boys are liable 10 military conscrption at the
age OF eighteen parents have every inducernent 10
conceal the birth OF a child and represent their
male children as being younger than they actually
are In ernigrating they get across the border
without & passport whenever possible. and IN
or5e- 10 save = few rubles they represent their
children as being as young possible in buying
steamship tickets. This last misrepresentation Is
suggested by the agents OF the steamship com
psnies, who scattered all over Europe and
who. on account Of the great competition among
the lines carrying steerage passengers oher every
possible inducement 20 intending cnigrants. From
all these causes It is very difficult for a foreign
born child. when II wants 10 20 10 work, to prove
that has reached the age required by law.
though the school records may show that II has
passed a year beyond that point
Here is q girl, for instance whom the school
records show to be past fifteen. and who has
school certificate showing that she has gone two
years beyond the educational standard required by
the law. But she cannot prove her age, and the
Board OF Health refuses her working papers She
takes place without them, and in two OF three
weeks the factory inspector comes around and
SENDS her home She takes another place. ana Is
again discharged. The factory inspector notifies
the Board OF Health. the Board Of Health notife-
the board OF Education. and The Boaru OF E4dca-
case, and then one OF two things happens. Either
send The child tack 10 school, or taey are N
reasonable or strong minded and retuse. u me
latter then the attendance officer Is summoned
ano holo hearing he'd sixteen oi men
one day last week. The parents represent ilat -le
child has met al the legal requirements and that
/ try coaxing 6rst- and II that does not work
threaten them with the coUrt-and here IS m
officer takes out a summons the parents plead
poverty or swear than the child is sixteen. AND
eeyen-year-od child 70 court the same thing would
"A few DAYS ago 7 had a particularly distressing
example Of The hardship which the Jaw WOEks- Inc
case was that Of . Russian boy OF fourteen He
has been two years in this country His father
oled IN Russia and his mothers brother brought
ne ne family out here and supported them unil4 ne
olec Lass month. The bon then got place IN
hardware store at 81 & week and IN A short time
ne factory inspector came along and turned hin
out lie got another splace. and in ten days
TIE Inspector discovered him again. The case
was renorted 70 me and 7 held 2 hearing. The
boy vas hne. manly, honest little fellow. JGst
such a boy . you would be delighted 10 have for
your own. lie had attended evening school all
last winter. ana had every school cert-l, cate re
Qured By the law. He had attended day school Tor
a. time IN Nevy-YOrk. and previously In Massa-
chUsetts and his teachers in both gave the
best possible report of him But he had not met
the 80 day requirement after his thirteenth birth
day, snC do would take him til next Febru-
ary He said 70 me- with tears IN his eyes L
an az anxious 70 have an education as you are 10
have get one. but ] must work. have been
70 night school every night this week. but can't
80 70 day school
q would be torture to a boy like this accept
ehar1ty. u IS right 70 protect the little, puny.
endeTvitalized children. but a strong. abe-bOdied
boy ought not 70 be forced TO make his mother
charity pensiouer. When do this are
setting little English the cost OF great deal
py getting the boy place IN doctors Office.
which Is not specified by the law as one OF the
Prohibited places. They VIII have il IN next year.
These things have been brought TO the attention
OF the child labor committee. but they say that
whatever hardship nay result IN individual cases
- more than compensated Tor 10y the good accom-
plshed-
TO GET GOOD TREATMENT.
fFrv r~fIl