The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-05-31
Deputy Inspector Evans Comes to
Look Into the Employment Of
italian Boysin Kenosha
PERMITS ARE INCREASING
Examination of Records Shows an
Appalling Increase in thu arnber
Of Child Laborers Emplos ed III
the Kenosha Factories

Factory Inspector David Evans Of
Racine, has been in Kenosha during
the past two days investigating into
the alleged Irregularities IN the en-
ployment Of Italian boys in the city,
and while he has discovered no evil
dence which would warrant pros ecu
tons it is probable that the state de-
partment will be asked to take cog
nizance of the conditions prevailing
in the city and if possible find some
way to make a more searching in
vestigation. While no absolute evil
dence of the working of a padrone
system was secured, there are some
remarkable facts shown in the statis-
tics in regard to child labor in Keno
sha as they have been collected by
the inspector and the statistics show
that the city of Kenosha employs
more children in it's factories than
are employed in any other city il the
state outside of Milwaukee, and the
proportion when considered in con-
nection with population is much
larger in Kenosha than in Milwau-
kee.
The report of the inspector shows
that the growth of the number of
children employed in the Kenosha
factories is becoming appalling and
that something must be done to put a
stop to this growth. AS result of
recent statements, the books Of the
county judge we're carefully examined
by the inspector, and these records
show that during the three years
from June Is, 1908, to May %, 1906,
997 permits have been issued to Keno
.sha children to work.
During the year 1905, 321 permits
were issued to children under 10 years
of age to go to work III the factories,
and from January 2, 1906 to May %,
1906 it is shown that there were 100
permits issued. These figures show
that there is being a steady growth in
the number from year to year. 1t is
a remarkable fact thatIa large number
of these permits have been issued to
Italian boys, and it is impossible to
dCCOuAt 1Ol 81 many Vi lIlGSG boys
seeking the right to work in Ker 8 ,ha
save in the report that they are work
ing n Ter the padrone system The
factory inspector stated positively
that he took this view Of the situation,
but that it would be difficult thing
for him to secure evidence on which
he could make arrests.
The official stated that in the last
few weeks he had completed an ex-
animation of the factories Of Racine
and Kenesha, and that he had found
that in the Racine factories there were
1855 males and ], 1913 females at work,
while the number Of children under
10 working was but but 200. On Feb.
2, 1906 there were working IN the
Kenosha industrial plants 5,257 males
LOO females aud $40 children under
the age of 10. There is no doubt but
that the number of children has been
largely increased since that time, as
more than $50 permits have been is
sued.
Mr.. Evans has announced that he
will take up the matter with his chief
and make an effort to find some way
out Of this difficulty. The fact that
the boys accused Of violating the law
can not talk English makes it an. ex-
ceedingly hard task for the Inspector
to take any action in the matter.