New-York tribune., 1906-07-15
CHILD LABOR EVILS.
Conditions IN Cotton lfM Region of
the Southern States.

DO'o'etf'e FeNetCo
For the purpose OF learning what rnanufac.-
urers OF cotton goods in the South have done TO
ameliorate the conditions under which their en-
ployes work and live. Miss Gertrude Bseks Sec
retary Of the welfare department OF the National
Civic Federation. recently visited fourteen cot
ton mill towns in South Carolina. Alabama ana
Georgia. Children being employed. the oues-
tion OF child labor was naturally involved in the
inquiry While her report which Is 70 aDuear
IN The National Civic Federation Review
SHOWS that there are isolated cases OF very
young children at work as we'll as too many
uhoer twelve years. the legal age in South Caro-
ma ana Alabama, credit has to be given TIE
employers for their efforts TO educate the chill
dren and to secure proper LEGISLATION which win
aid in abolishing the evil Of child labor. the
question has been handled as a broad economic
problem-clearly recognizing the Industrial revo-
luton of the South since the destitution Ieft
by the Civil War.
Much literature has been published on this
subject, frequently emanating from source in
terested in creating sOcialistic propaganda
rather than depicting facts. Miss Beeks not
only frankly criticises where the employers are
at fault. but also tells OF their benehcent efforts
In her report she states that tine mills them
selves have been made as comfortable as pOssi-
bic by the owners. Expensive cooling apparatus
has been introduced generally. and in every way
the health Of the operatives has been safeguard
ed. Nor have the efforts of the employers been
confined to the mills themselves Far from
checking the spread Of free public education.
they not only pay the taxes which support the
state schools for their regular term Of hve
months, but not infrequently support the same
schools for an additional four months out OF
their private purses
1t must be remembered. says Miss Beeks. that
before going into the cotton mill communities
these people. although of old American stock.
were practically untouched by any civiIizing
agency. Living isolated lives on small and un-
fertile farms. their diet consisted OF side meat
and corn bread-a mere mixture Of cornneal and
water baked-and. luxury. now and then.
mClasses Their diversion was indulging in corn
whislzey. After a few generations Of such
life the pale compilations which all mill operators
have cannot be attributed entirely to work in
the mills. As farmers they did well II they had
$50 in cash in course OF the year for expendi-
lures. Although their incomes increased fabu-
lously upon going the mills. the mother as
well as other members of the family who could
work, did so. With no one to care for the home
the family subsisted mostly upon cold canned
foods. As one employer said: "OuF people need
some system for teaching them how to live, more
than anything else" As a matter Of fact. do
nestle science teachers are employed by many
of the mill now, to instruct the people how
properly TO prepare their food. When the mother
entered the MILL so did the children. ~ was q
mere exchange Of mill work for farm work 10
Is true, also. that remedial legislation In the
South has not kept pace with industrial prog
reSS- Nor has public sentiment educated Jhe
parents (WhO have lacked opportunity for educa-
tiOn themselves and, therefore believe that Ii Is
unnecessary for their Offspring) TO the point OF
sending their children to school instead Of the
mills. But in spite Of the fact that conditions
are far from perfect the hysterlcal OutouEsts on
the subject have no excuse All OF the states in
question, except Georgia, now have child labor
laws, which, although not everything that might
be desired have done much to ameliOrate con-
ditiOns. In Georgia the maligned "gentlemans
agreement has done great deal
the usual age NM. 1,b'i IJ + sSo11tL SsroIin
and Alabama child over ten can work upon
presenting his mothers affidavit that she Is a
widow and that the support OF the cnlo y
needed
Instances Of children younger than this work
ing are by no means rare OF hard to ind The
chief opponents to the enforcement of the laws
are the operatives themselves. Evasion OF the
law is rendered less difficult by the absence Of
any birth registration laws, that age is large
IL a matter 1f gUesswOrk However charges or
might work." children half naked" children
working through the noon hour children cru
elly diSCiplined." ''cAildren defOrmed by acci-
dents or half starved" most unjust. says
Miss Beeks in that they attempt to show tnaC
this is the usual or accepted STATE OF 1Adlts-
Every one of these charges may be true in some
would be remarkable communities But that
when they arc brought to light they do not
cause as much surprise and indignation rs else
While there is an obligation on the part OF
society TO reader impossible the employment OF
children Of tender age-and the age limit in the
South should be higheT-certainly fourteen
years-it must be remembered that the majority
OF the children in the mills above this age.
much tenderiy treated. and in every way
decidedly better of than is usually pictured BY
writer's child labor.
This evil has. OF course. been aCcentuated by
the scarcity OF other labor. due partly to the
high price of cotton which has lured many
families back to the farms. where they rent a
few acres for a season and raise one crop OF
cotton, which is mOrtgaged in advance. They
are called troopers. because as farmers they
move annually. and their rowing characteristics
is marked that after becoming operatives
they move frequently from one mill village 70
another. Sometimes the employer viii be au-
abled 10 hold a family by permitting il 70 move
from house to house even across the street.
This story, says Miss Beehs, was told BIZ jes-
ter: The people change their abiding places
SO often that when wagon stops AT mans
door, IL he has half . dozen chickens. he VIII
find them on their backs with their feet already
crossed TO be tied.
such a statement OF the facts as is contained
in Miss Beeks article may not only caiEa
hystCria but be of real service in lettering con-
ditions which. however their evil features have
been magnified by sensational writer's. are 2l-
dOubtedly bad.