The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-23
CHILD LABOR
REFORM WORK
Publicity a Vital Factor in
Furthering Efforts of
Child Labor Com
nittee.

Inc third annual meeting of the
National Child Labor Committee. the
organization of which President
Roosevelt is not only an honorary but
an actively interested member.
| reached its conclusion a day or so
ago. Addresses were made by Sem
ator Beveridge, Felix Adler. Jane
Addams. Or, Samuel McVune Lind
say, Homer Folks, Arthur T. Vance
and others prominent in child labor
reform work. Senator Beverage de-,
scribed in detail his bill recently in
troduced into congress to abolish
child labor by prohibiting the inter-
state transportation of goods manu-
featured or mined by child labor. and
Arthur T. Vance, editor of the
Woman's. Home Companion reviewed
the value Of publicity In reform
work. Mr. Vance said in part:
Publicity in reform is merely the
application of modern business meth
| DDS to reform work This state
ment is so obviously true that it
seems almost unnecessary to make it.
The manufacturer who has a pro-
duct in which he believes, spends
thousands of dollars in buying pub
licity in the newspapers and maya
zines to tell the people of the country
about the virtues of his product. We
call this sort of publicity, adyertis-
ing, and it is good advertising il this
product lives up to the claims he
makes for it. We who are interested
IN reform, do precisely the same
thing when we take steps to interest
the newspapers and magazines in our
pet theories, and If our reform Is a
good thing the people of the country
will stand by and back us up In
other words, advertising publicity
and reform publicity both accomplish
the same thing. They arouse public
interest and public sentiment in favor
Of the object which they have In view.
! Not long ago certain state passed
child labor law, not very good
one, but better than nothing, and
among the inspectors appointed was
man who liked to sit on the fence
until public opinion directed him on
which side he should flop. He went
among his neighbors. dropping Ques-
ton here and a hint there to see If
strict attention to the law would be
required of him. He speedily discov-
cred that rigid enforcement was eX-
pected and without delay. Public
sentiment against child labor was
rampant in that state, and the law
! Just passed was a law demanded by
the women and mothers of the COM
munity.
Nowadays, we plan publicity in a
systematic, and scientific manner,
The problem is merely one OF how
best to reach the people whom We
want to interest, whose help we want
to enlist in the cause A modern cam
paign of publicity is planned precise
Ily as campaign of advertising. And
in both cases the effectiveness Of the
campaign depends upon the WORTH
ness of the cause.
! We have come to place a greater
dependence than ever npan the power
of printers ink in molding public
opinion.
| II was publicity that brought ahc1i
/ the downfall Of the louisiana lottery.
It was publicity thst prepared tiie
present investigations into Standard
OH II was a magazine article fH2f
stirred up all this talk about the COG,
ditions in Panama. that finally led e
the president going down there hilr-
self IN Investigate. Legitimate pfl1i
ers' ink has been foremost in re
eight for pure feed. and for the resa
Ilaiion Of patent medicines II can po
safely said that publicity today l.
the greatest power for pnblic %oUQ
In the country.