New-York tribune., 1905-02-16
The CHILD SLAVE.
Ho10 Thousands of Little Ones Toll
EGrLq and Late.

The poor widow must be cared for otherwise
than by the sacrifice Of her little children to In
dustrial slavery said Owen r Lovejoy. assistant
secretary Of the National Child Labor Committee
at the first annual meeting OF that organization
yesterday afternoon IN the Charities Building.
The rich and the powerful he proceeded, ARE
casting their stocks and gold and machinery into
the treasury OF our roaring Industrial temple The
poor widow casts In her mites Of children; and
they fan beyond recall we who sit over against
the treasury may a new version Of an old
story. for while the rich cast in OF their abun-
dance. the widow Of her want casts in all that she
has. even her LIE.
Men Of influence and standing in society. men
Infinitely wealthy, even phlanthropists grevey
ofe- this poor widow argument as a bar TO
sasctize child labor legislation, as though proper
methods o. relief would not prevent the loss OF a
clids future value TO society for the sake OF a
Talry g cents a week, the wages actually paid TO
some Ettle in Northern mills. AS a matter Of
fact very small proportion Of our child Iaborers
have widowed mothers dependent their earnings
but at whatever sacrifice children must not be made
means OF livelihood
special crusade against the poor widow ghost
On the part OF the General Federation Of women's
Clubs was reported by Mrs. 4. O. Granger, of Car
tersvfle. ca.
The various clubs in the federation, She said.
had been asked 10 collect statistics as to the
number OF widows actually supported by child
labocers- and to provide assistance for such when
ever possible. that the children might 20 to
~---l- 14-ee 4-aN -D-Liu ll+e pICpOruOn 10 be
small. while many We're widows only in name.
their husbands having found il convenient to raove
on 70 other parts
II IS lazy. shiftless fathers the children are
supporting. not widowed mothers" Mrs. Granger
declared with emphasis II have known a strong
healthy father 10 take six Of his children 10 mill
saying, when he asked for employment for them
that he was not strong enough TO support them
himself
Mrs. Granger gave some painful details Of child
labor IN Southern factories telling how cold water
was dashed in the faces Of the little ones to keep
them awake. and how they struggled with sleep
IN the evening schools which the manufacturers
boast OF maintaining. She said that many of the
little victims are brought from the country. and
That the federation is trying prevent this by in
trocuctng gardening. manual training etc into
the country schools. and thus making country life
more attractive
scratch the surface. Mrs. Florence Kelley told the
audience
''0f the Middle and Western States, Newton,
has the best laws" she said Vermont being
cose second, bat these laws are nevertheless very
oso- Only the night before last poor little boy
O fourteen died Of overwork and privation No
-eN vas violated when he worked and starved
himself 70 death- He had been trying to support
q widowed mother and baby brother, and the law
Jet HIN 90 IL
'etes Here there IS protection whatever for
-'---oi-ood There IS no educational test and no
ss ---t Children csn and do work all night. and
me number Of child laborers Is increasing
-'eN-Jersey comes next TO Delaware. "a few
Gays ago / was in Salem where children work all
--s4-l as regular thing. and imported for that
b-ipcse from so-caed charita bic institution said
~ De ~ Aew-York. One night, during my stay.
'"o Ltte boys were carrying glass in five States
'ley wa. carry IL tonight II o'clock in the
morning and tac., were so drunk with sleep that
'AeF eoIAded- The glass was shiyered 10 a thou
'aAa pieces. and splinter penetrated one boys
eye Hc cit the factory blind for life. Yet no
aw had been broken"
Judge Zen. z. Lindsey, Of the Juvenile Court
DeAFe- Col. pointed out the need Of something
more -han laws referring only 10 the labor or
eAl1reH ia The regulation >Of this evil
a l9E might better be IN a factory than in
a.. ~ sal1. and that is where many are al