The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-05-31
Little italian Boys Working Here
Thought to Have Been Sent
Under Padrone System
ONE BOY HELD THIRTY DAYS
More Than a Hundred of These Boys
Have Secured Permits to Work
in Past Year and Wages go
TO the Contractor

a u u1Cl 1uVCSlAS dlAOn - OSAAiS WI
Quoted Of the conditions surrounding
the employment Of more than a hum
dred Italian boys in Kenosha and the
results of these investigation may
be sensational. It is openly declared
by men who are in a position to know
that the padrone system ct employ
ing these boys is being worked ex-
tensively in Kenosha and the condi-
ton of these boys is little better than
the condition of slave. The boys
have been bought and sold as chattels
and have been shipped to this coun-
try to take up life of labor IN order
that the men in Italy who gathered
them together may reap fortune
from their labor. The officers of the
county, while admitting that there
are grave fears as to the facts in the
case, decline to discuss the employ
ment Of these BOYS as they claim that
they have not at this time the evidence
needed to prove that the laws are be-
ing violated.
An examination of the records Of
the county judge shows that in the
past twelve months more than 40
boys have come from Italy and Sc
cured permits to work in Kenosha
factories. In most cases permits
have been issued to these boys be-
cause of the fact that they were
practically homeless and the judge
was unwilling to throw them out on
the streets. An examination shows
that these boys are being brought in
to Kenosha at the rate of from is to
20 week. In most cases the boys
are under 10 years Of age and they
have no friends in Kenosha save the
man to whom they are ticketed by the
steamship companies.
Only a few days ago the govern
1aent started an investigation Of these
boys being brought to Kenosha and
one of them was held at-Ellis Island
in New York for nearly a month. AT
the end of this period man from Ke-
nosha, who alleged that he was the
boys father, managed to secure his
release ard the boy came on to Keno
sha. The following day he applied
for permit and was put to work in a
Kenosha factory. In most cases the
boys have no means to show that they
are old enough to go to work. The
padrone in Kenosha, who carefully
looks to the employment of the boys
and who is suspected of taking full
charge of the wages paid to them, al
ways aids in getting the papers. The
boys appear before the judge and
when asked for their passports they
always state that these papers were
lost either in New York OF Chicago.
AS the boys are homeless the court
has practically no alternative save to
issue the certificate permitting them
to begin their careers as factory work
ers It is claimed that these boys are
forced to endure all sorts of hardships
and that the small wages won by
them are paid over to the American
agents of these Italians who have en-
p1oyed them as their slaves. Thous-
ands of dollars are sent monthly to
Italy as a result of the work of these
boys.
Judge Slosson has given this matter
great deal of consideration but he
has found no remedy and it is thought
that in the near future the matter
will be laid before the state legis1a-
ture in ordeA to secure the passing Of
a law which will demand that these
boys have some sort of an education,
either Italian or American, before
they are granted permits to go to
work in the factories.