New-York tribune., 1906-12-13

department. in view OF the me Work OF this
shor ss IN, In the mines superfntendeng goERsrng chid
:specton obtain With e the fsps Of Mine In
tba thnana an accurate census of child GaboS in in
sincerely approve Ills wise ssq no one weud more
tionaI Cbiia b aSeurale investigation than The Ma
ss ekn9wedgment OF the extrema m dIfcIt ndce 0t
remarkable stateehf a The department. makes the
bsr ernpIavaa tt'e over per cent Of the total num-
ATTACKS CHILD LABOR FIGURES.
Inc figures and estimates OF the tyvo oe4ciale or
me Child Labor Committee were cailaa IN nueatio,
DS w. J. Richards. vice-president and general man
- o' ~He Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
- Nohpahy He said he knew OF no better evil
oe III me matter OF child labor in the anthracite
Ieslohs than the report OF James Roderick chief
y tne Department of Mines. He read part of the
-e4oFt' which stated that "a man by the name OF
Io'e'os' made tour OF the anthracite regions
Inqmrlng into the ages OF boys employed at the
mines. He continued:
Mn In blazing headlines the papers published. on
@ edousSho boys were found in and about the break
fourteen. newspaper reporter called Mr. Rod
were true tenflon nc TO this report and asked Il It
knowledge, it was not true-that it was very
ures too strongly the cupidty of the average cit-
zen II Is not fair 10 misrspresent the age OF the
hon honest. Only small minority are as selfish as
the speaker tries to make believe.
fNcnaTOs SAID the statistics given OF child
labor were wrong end misleading They put the
mine owners and the parents In an unfair position
MI Lindsay and Mr.. Lovejoy were than made
the target Of battery Of questions. some friendly
others hostile ". A May, general manager OF the
Pennsylvania Coal Company. said that the entire
situation was nnisrepresented by sensational news
paper and magazine writers.
President Mitchell SAID he amused at the
Idea OF miners growing rich, or that boys lost
their lives by their anxiety grow rich as few Of
them oed fba,
close OF the year the collieries would op-
Grated two hundred days for the entire year. He
continued:
I agree with the speakers that the men cannot
wanted 10 play. why wouldn't they? When 1 was
a boy at that work risked my life like other boys
10 get a chance 10 play.
discussion followed on this point after which
Ellison A Smyth cotton manufacturer. attacked
the members OF the child Ia Dor committee for
cotton mills Of the Southern states. He said the
must nave been unfortunate in the representatives
Federation Of Womens Clubs, said she Went to the
cotton mills TO find material for book the
nothing horrible"
Several labor leaders took UP the other side, and
said the manufacturers were minimizing the evils
L was finally decided that the presidents of the
Following organizations be invited name seven
members to act with like committee of the Civic
Federation q commission to make a thorough
investigation Of the whole subject of child labor in
facturers, American Federation of Labor. General
federation of Women's Clubs, National Educa-
tional Association. American Economic Association,
National Conference of Charities and National
Child Labor Committee.
Archbishop Ireland talked of the work of the
Immigration committee of the Civic Federation.
subject and glad 10 attend them.
1T is only il America, my friends" he said.
that such institution this is possible. And
because Of the Civic Federation I proud of
my country and see in II the great germs OF won
derful moral and civilizing powers which will
spread far beyond America and the Pacific and
make America the beacon light of the truest and
best civilization Of the world"
Ex-Mayor Low described the methods OF the
Civic Federation In settling and avertng disputes
He gave instance where big street railroad
strike averted in Illinois through its influence
Other speakers Ddwtn Markham, Samuel
Gompers, NJ. z. Ingalls, and Rabbi Steven S. Wise.
Votes OF thanks We're given TO Ralph NJ Basley,
chairman Of the national executive committee OF
the Federation and TO Oscar Straus.