The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26
NEWS OF THE WEEK IN THE FIELD or LABOR
SEES DEFECTS IN
CHILD LABOR LAW
STATE LABOR COMMISSIONER
WILLIAMS FAvORs CHANGE.

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Out in Address Before Southeastern
Minnesota Educational Association
Would Not Stand Test of Vigorous
Attack by Employers of Young
Children.
State Labor Commissioner w. H. Will
liams address before the Southeastern
Minnesota Educational association at
Red Wing two weeks ago on ''Child La
bor'' aroused great interest among the
assembled educators. The state labor bu-
reau relies to d considerable extent
upon the cooperation of the teachers
to enable it to reach the desired state
of efficiency, and this is true to great
er degree in the matter Of enforcement
of child labor laws than in any other
branch of the work. Mr.. Williams said,
in part:
'3Child labor in Minnesota has not
grown to the evil proportions that it
has in the east and south, but with the
growth of urban population and the in
crease of factories the evil is bound to
increase unless effective measures are
taken to prevent
cup to the present time our laws
have not been vigorously attacked by
those who would traffic in the blood
and bone of children, but when this is
done, as is sure to happen in the course
of events, I fear the present statutes
would not stand the test. Take, for
example, the phraseology Of the law
regulating the employment and edu-
cation Of children, chapter III of the
laws of 1895, as amended in 1897.
"Section of the act modifies Sec
tion l by providing that child under
the ages specified may be employed if
he has attended school for time equal
to that provided by law. The law pre-
scribes that the child shall attend
whenever the schools are in session, so
this does not appear much OF loophole
but it does provide that children under
IA may be employed under certain
conditions, and does not prohibit any
kind Of employment. It lets down the
bars for the whole list.
"Section further provides that no
child under 16 years of age who can
not read and write simple sentences in
the English language shall, except in
the vacation of the public schools, be
employed at any indoor occupation. 1t
is further provided however, that II
such child is regular attendant at a
day or evening school the reading AMI
writing of simple sentences in the Eng
lish language may not be insisted on.
"Section still further provides that
if the labor of child is necessary for
the support of the family or himself
an employment certificate may be is
sued, regardless of age or other con-
siderations.
"In addition to these provisions the
act is still further modified by the
truancy law, which provides that chill
dren may be exempted from school at!
tendance for the following reasons:
"FO. That such parent, guardian
or other person having control is not
able by reason of poverty to clothc
such child properly; or (2) That such
child's bodily or mental condition is
such as to prevent his attendance at
school or application to study for the
period required; or (3) That the chile
is taught at home in such branches OF
study as are usually taught in public
i schools, subject to the same examination
as other pupils of such district or city
or, az That such child has already ac
quired the ordinary branches required
by law; or (5) That such child is ac
tually engaged in some useful oceupa
tion or service permitted by law.
"The issuing of school certificate
of excuse is confined solely to the schoo
authorities, while it is the duty of tn
labor department, in it's inspection o
factories, stores and workshops, t.
make sure that no children are EN-
ployed unless provided with proper ere
dentials.
"Section l of the child labor law is ;
clear, clean-cut, expressive statement
b But the various exceptions containe
in the balance of the act render almos
valueless the salutary provisions.
HIn an opinion given our depart
ment the attorney general rules tina
under the law school superintendent
may, in his discretion give an employ
ment excuse to any child between tn
ages of and 16 years, and that sue
excuse will protect the employer o
babes in factories and workshops, re
gardless of the hazardous nature of tn
occupation. am thankful to say, how
ever, that the school authorities ar
using sound discretion in the matte
and are doing a noble work in keepln
the children in school.
"In my opinion the educational an
child labor laws of the state should
thoroly revised at the next session {
the legislature. The antiquities whic
permit the employment Of little chi
dren at any occupation for ten Ion
hours in each day and sixty hours
each week, should be eliminated. i
deed, I favor the passage Of a law NAL
4 ing eight hours the limit that any chill
may be employed in any one day, wit
heavy penalties for violation.
II hold further that it is disgrac
full for state to have provision c
it's statutes that a child may be e.
cused from attendance at school b
cause thru poverty it is unable to pr
cure proper clothing. If the child
parents or guardians are unable
clothe it, the state should do so.
81 am of the opinion, too, that
truancy eases the present law punish
the wrong culprit. 1t is wrong to SCI
a child away to the training school
particularly such a training school /
this state acknowledgements he pla,
truant The parent or guardian shou
be held responsible for the child. The
would be fewer cases Of truancy if Il
parent was fined when the child did n
appear at school. ALI
At present in the large cities the
seems to be no way of reaching tn
army of boys engaged in selling pape
HI oIrir y,1oy,E EHcb