The Washington times., 1905-12-10
BAD INFLUENCES
OF CHILD LABOR
Messenger Boys in Particu-
lar Have Evil Surroundings.
SOME REMEDIES SUGGESTED
Men OF National Note Discuss Prob
lem at Meeting of the
Committee.

The third session of the NatIona
Child Labor Committee held vesterda,
afternoon At the New Willard Hote
was characterized By the denunciatior
by men of national reputation of IN,
kinds Of labor chiIren in washinptor
are required u do There were many
ladies present and at least a dozen mad.
notes Of the speeches.
Among thu speakers was Samuel Com.
pers, president Of the Federation OF
Labor, who said that he was in fuI1
sympathy with the movement of tn,
committee. "1hore seems TO he no di.
vision Of opinion in regard TO the in
aoNia.ib.lity and the inhumanitv of en-
poyI1E chiidrsI. Of yosng and tender
age, he declared. Some think. how
ever, That -ne enactment of such a law
would be an announcement of organized
iaDor II Is true that it would have an
lniiuc1cf TO encourage the organization
oi vase earners N certain industries
want 10 call your attention. however
TO thls astonishing condition.
In Southern States.
In some OF the Southern States to
maintain white supremacy laws with
educational Qualifications have beer
enacted Yet in some cotton regions
white children are in the field. while
the blacks are IN the schools. This is
COINS to result I'm the acknowledgements
of the 'colore j-man-to-come' and the
disfrauckisement cf the whites There
is lot If work cut out for us and as
lCng as there IS one single injustice be-
ing perretrslted- 50 long is there work
To accomplish.
The most lengthy address was de-
hvered by Charles r Mcneil. United
States Commissioner OF Labor. who
who bitterly scored existing conditions
which allow the sending Of young mes
senger boys TO houses of questionable
reputation.
He said in part:
We are represented as one of the
best of the good cities or the United
states. We are remarkable for our
ignorance Of the maladies among us.
We have forms or child labor here
that are. ann "f rignt. ought 40 he
shocking beyond expression. and vet
we are enduring them without one little
murmur OF protest There are two
KINDS OF child labor here that are very
oenoralizing and greatly 10 be deDlor
Cd The first is the newsboy. There
is however, kind of halo around his
mead lie must be shrewd TO win ONT
ana ne Is shrewd. lie knows and adj 1
ifl's that he can sell more papers To
people coming out of saloons than from
churches His hours. or rather his lack
VI hours, are demoraiiZing But his oc /
cupaiion Is not such fine preuarat tory
schooi Tor crime as that Of his brother 4
The messenger boy.
Service Debauching.
This service for youngsters is de-
I have seen the... from -,
years old up. Yes. l knew one rnessen- |
ger only nine years old. I am not goin,.
10 owell upon The fearful hours these
Youngsters have TO keep. but rather the |
places to which they have to go day and /
night particularly at night. There is a
certain section In all towns. and il is in 4
W asnngton. tOo-a section given over to /
all that is pathetic. tragic. and foul to /
the life Of woman. The name Of this 1
district is unspeaka ble-and yet every \
mouse IL II has its messenger call box.
which Is in great demand
no answers these calls? BOYS. ten
and eleven years old. When2 Day after /
lay and night after night, / know IT TO .
be fact that after a boy has gone TO /
these houses once or twice he finds that
pc g-ts more tips than elsewhere. 1t Is
not very long before he Graves 10 hear
calls from this district
This condition is intolerable. II com
nunities cannot afford to hire grown
lps 70 do this work and other lines re.
pulsive to the right nature Of a young
Irr hs.
needed. Youngsters as pages I'm tn.
-ncaters is not a wise scheme. nor - il
good for the morals Of youths 10 be run
stn6 around in the Hobbies Of hotels as
with men who often indulge in
conversation before them that they
would not permit in front Of their wives
md daughters. 4 great reform is need
d. and needed right now in Washing
on. Of the working children com
nitted by our courts. ever two-thir,is
save been IN the street trade
Dr.. Adler's Views.
= a brief address declared that the OBJ
oec % the National Chhd Labor Com
nittee IL not merely TO deal with the
xisting situation. but 10 be a steering
ommittee for the United States. as one
y one our great communities change
rom agriculture 10 Industry. The
'mptation will occur. he said. Ito Sc
ure momentary advantage I'm the ex-
OF the cheap labor Of the un-
eVelOped child
George NJ. Kober n d chairman OF
le Citizens Guild Labor Committee Of /
le District Of Columbia. described the
iseases resultant from the working Of
ndeveloped children. He admitted
owever, that the work Of messenger
oys and ncwsboys does not endanger
leir health as much as their morals.
A model child labor law for the {
istrict OF Columbia was the topi5 ais Z
lssed by the next two speakers. s. w. {
-oodward and DR. Henry J. Harris Of I
rs city. Z
There viii be special Sunday services J
night at All Souls Church. Fourteenth p
I'd l. streets. where Dr. .dler and Com Il
issioner Nell have promised 10 sneak o
81