The San Francisco call., 1906-07-27
Child Labor in the ,
Southern Cotton Mills

ing with pay which would insure
livelihood, be uplifted by the elevat-
ing Influences, and secure an education
for the majority of their children?
In addition to the desire of the par
ents to have their children work in the
mills. other contributing causes OF
child labor are the absence of such laws
as compulsory education. factory in
Spection. marriage license and birth.
registration, and the low age limit
II years-in the existing child labor
law. The scarcity of labor and the
competition among mills for families
incline superintendent to employ chill
dren younger than they otherwise
would. The migratory tendency of the
people leads them TO move to places
where Inducements are offered for the
employment of all members of the fam
ily old enough to work
Charges against the employers by
sensational writer's relative to night
work." children half naked" children
working through the noon hour" chill
dren cruelty disciplined" hundreds OF
children deformed by accidents or half
starved" children who have once
worked in the mill unable to learn to
read and write children walking
seventeen miles a day in dofing." and
the use of diminutive or adjustable
machinery" are most unjust.
For business reasons purely, If for
no others, the employers do not desire
child labor. The children work in the
spinning room where the machinery is
the most delicate and expensive. and
the higher the grade Of intelligence to
manipulate that machinery, the en-
ployers state, the better will be the
product and the greater the output.
Furthermore. the children are very de-
structive, broken bObbins frequently
being observed scattered upon the mill
floors by the doffers. Again, the loss
through wasted material caused by un-
skilled labor is greatest in the spin
ming room.
The children are employed as spin-
ners, doffers and sweepers-principal
In the last two occupations. The dof-
1ers and sweepers never work a full
day. Between operations they are fire.
quently found outside of the mills play
ing baseball or in the factory outdoor
gymnasium
Compulsory education, Immigrant Ia
DOT ana automatic machinery in tho
spinning room will aid in solving the
child labor problem With comnnIsor,,
education there must come adeauate
school facilities, otherwise the children
VINO are prevented from being In tba
mills by the child labor law viii ha
subjected to immoral influences uDor.
the streets The scarcity Of labor which
causes younger children to he a..
ployed as spinners and sweenars -, -
otherwlse would be must be rnat
immigrant labor, as the sunnIv -
the mountain districts has 49, - -.
hausted. Automatic spinning macbins-~,
yet to be invented, would disnIaca ~ y,
doffers Piace the
For the present cotton mills ~.
Ss INNS senools as well as places ~
refuge for the unfortunates. the eIr,.H -
iroo houses ,ss In the South being intolerabIs.
, loo Hnuch praise cannot be given 20 49, =.
mill owners who. in spite 81 ~, ~ 20 .no
critlcism which has been made ara n,s -,,,,
oniy giving food and shelter ana ~
INDUSTRIAL training to the tl15terosa ~.
wni.es, but through their welfare w.. 70
are. are great eivilizing influence ana 81 an =
zensntr ss raising the standard Of citt-