Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-10
"Child Labor Legislation
Address by Professor Isaac A. Loos, of the Chair
of Statistics and Economics, State University

II propose to discuss tnlS supJecl
bysketching first the historical deVel-
opment of child labor legislation IN
Great Britain and the United States
OF America, with only very slight ref
erence to the extensive body of laws
OF this kind In other countries; sec
,ondly to inquire briefly what are to be
considered the essential provisions of
"a good child labor law, whether any
system OF exemptions should he per
mitted, and how good law may be
enforced: and third, the movement
for a child labor law in our own state.
In preparing this address l have drawn
freely upon an article which I con-.
tributed to the Iowa Journal of His
tory and Politics Of October, l90b.
i. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
OF CHILD LABOR LAWS:
",rhe Introduction of machine pro-
dalctlon and the rise of the modern
factory system have necessitated
state interference with productive In
dustry by determining the plane OF
competitions in order to check the
physical degeneration OF the factory
workers and to prevent the eventual
degeneration Of rational character and
life. The development OF labor leSis-
lation in Great Britain shows the Sue
cessive stages thru which the modern
factory acts have evolved, and the
gradual extension of the idea OF rae
tory legislation to other forms OF en-
.ploymer1t, until Mt the present time
ii, more progressive countries we nave
what are called factory and workshop
acts. The purpose Of these acts ls 70
extend to workshops, notably 10 mer-
camille establishments, retail stores,
particularly to department stores, those
provisions for sanitation limitation OF
hours, and established intervals OF
rest which have been found both eco
nomical and beneficial to the producing
strength of great people. From the
first the modern factory acts We're de-
Signed to protect women and children,
but indirectly their beuleilcent pro-
visions have resulted In great benef,t
to laborers In general.
"The first factory act so called was
THE Factory Health and Morals Act
'(42, George Ill c. 73), passed under
the ministry of Sir Robert Peele IN
1902. It's design was to preserve the
health and morals OF child apprenticed
from the aims houses of England to
work in factories. Under the condi-
tions Of free competition and the oper-
alton Of the self interest of the EN-
ployers, conditions developed that We're
shocking to decency, cruel and inhu-
man. Acts of a wider range but with
out suitable provision for their en-
forcement were passed in 1915, 1879.
1925 and 1881. The act OF 1881 was
In many respects confnendable, put
not until 1888 were the broad fourl-
daItions laid of modern system or
labor acts. Before efficient labor leg
islation in the interest of the commu-
nifty at large could be secured, the re-
form OF parliament was needed. This
was accomplished In 1882, and fol-
lowing it there is long series of acts
regulative of the conditions Of labor
off which the factory act of 1888 -
not the least notable. 1t provided Tor
the Irritation of the labor day for
children to nine hours. The act pro-
hibiteJd the employment of ali children
under the ninth year, and at the same
time provided for raising this age
limit at the expiration of thirty months
after the act went into effect to a
minimum age requirement. Of thirteen
years. Sanitary measures were also
prescribed, and inspectors were APP
pointed to enforce the provisions of
the act. In 1914 the famous half time
act was passed, which provided that
children between the ages Of eight and
thirteen should not be employed IN
any factory for more than half time
The children might work every alter
nate day not exceeding ten hours, ex-
elusive of meal time, and not more
than six and a half hours on success
sive days Where this statute Is fol-
lowed in our time the age limit from
ten to fourteen is substituted for eight
and thirteen, and the hours Of labor
are less.
"The enactment of similar laws by
other European countries proceeded
rapidly from about the middle Of the
nineteenth century until the present
time, when leading states like Ger
many, France, and Belgium have ad :
mirable codes of law for the protection
of labor, for the protection especially
of woman and child labor. Even lesser
states like Austria, Italy, Spain, and
Russia have enacted laws designed to
guard the welfare Of those engaged
in factory and other forms of group
employment Few countries have
found need Of regulating agricultural
or other outdoor pursuits. 1t is the
confined employments like mine, fac
tory or shop that cause the evil angel
of fever epidemic and tuberculosis to
stalk thru the land; and it is against
these insidious foes that we call upon
society to protect itself, not only by
child labor laws, but by the regula
,tion of the conditions Of labor in gem
eral, both adult and minor.
"In Massachusetts. beginning with
the law of 1866. the conditions for the
employment of children, young per-
sons, and women have been under rig
i'd and beneficent regulation, and a
code of factory acts has been developed
in Massachusetts, copied and improved
in other states, notably in Illinois, In
diana, and New York, until reason
ably efficient administration machinery
for the supervision and control of fac
tory labor has developed in a few o.
our American conmonwealths
THE sweating problem remains
ooo fa Scadly unaolved everywhere in the