Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-13
LABOR OF CHILDREN
ADDREssEs OUTLINING ooNDI-
TIoNs HERE AND ELSEWHERE.
Advocacy Of Bill Before Congress for
Investigation Of woman's Status
In Industries.

DR.. Samuel McCune Lindsay of the Uni
versity OF Pennsylvania, secretary OF the
national child labor committee, and Miss
Mary Mcdowell. resident principal of the
settlement house of the University of Chi
cago, spoke Wednesday afternoon at the
home of Mrs. James Pinchot before a large
audience, comprising many OF the best
known women in congressional circles.
Both speakers explained conditions under
which women and children perform labor.
Mss Mcdowell particularly emphasizing
the need of a national bureau, under gov
eminent direction, to supervise the labor of
women.
DIR. Lindsay gave a graphic account of the
growing evils of child labor throughout the
country, and of the interest being taken In
bringing about better conditions by womens
organizations. churches labor unions and
educational authorities.
The speakers were introduced by Mrs.
Joseph w. Babcock.
Referring to conditions in the District. DIR.
Lindsay criticised the present form of the
child labor bill as It has passed the House,
and declared it should be amended to in
clude messenger boys.
Dangers of Messenger Service.
He said. in part:
most serious dangers to boys under four
teen who work by day and boys under
sixteen who work at night The moral
danger here Is as great as the physical
danger to health. The boys in stores and
In the messenger service constitute 90 per
cent of the children employed In the Dis
trict yet In the child-labor bill that passed
senger service we're eliminated from the
prohibited employments, except during
school hours. boy of any age might.
under this bill, II 1t becomes a law, work
after school. during vacations, and all night
as a messenger boy and be sent to any
disorderly house or brought into the worst
associations.
This ought not to be, and the bill should
be amended in the Senate as to extend
its beneficent provisions to the little mes
senger boys. who need it most An adver-
tfsement In a local paper today says that
boys are wanted and will be employed after
days and holidays. Can any good be ex
pected from schooling under those circum-
stances?.
The bill should also be amended in the
Senate to require employment GER
tificates for all children between fourteen
and sixteen years who work, and should
impose penalty on any corporation or
employer who employs a child under six
teen without being able to produce an en-
ployment certificate. The provision for a
me and for the only adequate means of en-
forcement was stricken out of the bill on
The floor of the House All night work for
children under sixteen should be prohibited,
whether in the school year or not. The
country at large expects the child labor law
of the District to be fully up to the best
row enforced in the progressive states of
The Union, and not on the level with the
poorest. A model city, with model social
legislation, should be our aim for the ma
tons capital"
Government Investigation.
Miss Mcdowell pleaded for an investiga-
ton by the government of conditions.
II believe" said Miss Mcdowell. that
women should work, and am not opposed
10 The early assumption of responsibilities
ny young people. but I do feel that work
which ruins the health and blunts the moral
sepsibilities should be investigated. There
are now 100000 young women between
tha ages Of fourteen and twenty-four. most
a. whom are between fourteen and eigh-1
teen, engaged In gainful occupations in the
GDited States. -s-s
Scene Industries in which they are en-
plcyed are ruinous to their health and
t.aught with grave moral danger. child
WHO Is forced to work before he is fourteen
is often stunted in moral and physical de-
velopment, and such exploitation of child
lator should be prohibited. A permanent
bureau established by the government to
supervise the labor of women and children
you'll do much to solve many grave prob
Today.
1t is said Miss Mcdowell will urge the
passage of the bill now pending in both
branches OF Congress providing for an in
yestigation Of the status of women In in
duslry. The passage of the bill has been
strongly recommended by the committee on
Ia bor to which it was referred and its adj
vocates hope that 1t will become a law,
II Is not expected that appropria-
ton necessary to mae 1t effective can be
passed at this session of Congress Miss
Mcdowell and the others who have been
advocating the passage of the measure will
be satisfied, however, If the bill Is passed
at this session and the appropriation made
next fall.
Arguments Advanced.
Following are some of the arguments ad-
vanced by those who are interested in see
ing tho bill become law:
l. The subject is most important one.
The fact that there are now over 100000
women engaged in occupations which takes
thell away from the home and that the
number of such women Is increasing more
RAPIDLY than Is the number of men similarly
occupied. and that its rate of increase is
Greater than that of our female population
signifies a momentous change, whose infIu-
ence will he. felt In our national life
?. Many erroneous ideas upon the subject
ara widely prevalent. Among these may be
mentioned an exaggerated feeling of hostil-
lily to employers as q class, sensational
view of women's work. and ill-considered
plans for legislative changes affecting do
nestle relationships and industrial condi-
tons
3 There is an almost total dearth of ma
terial Oh the subject The Investigations
which have been made by the separate
states illustrate their inability to supply an
adequate or a comparative view of the sit
uation at any given time. For example,
inquiries made In Massachusetts, in 1884,
1859 and 1903. in New York In 1896, In Min
nesota in 1923. and in Ohio in 1902 are
different not only In time. which would
affect their value for purposes of COMPARE
son, but are unlike IN their scope and the
degree of thoroughness with which they
were made.
The census has not furnished and cannot
furnish the Information desired. though all
It's supplies in the future will gain new
value in the light of such an investigation
IL We could have a general study which
would give us view of our Industrial sit
uation upon which could be based correct
theories as to education of working girls,
sound legislation controlling the conditions
of work and the obligations of employers.
and a true public sentiment In regard to
the true relation of wage-earning women to
the duties of home and motherhood the
gain would be incalculable.
COOPERATIVE STORES.