Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-28
PROTECT THE CHILDREN

If Senator Beveridge had accom-
pllshed nothing more in his senatorial
career than the calling of public atten-
tion to child labor, and the abuse OF
childhood by industrial employments,
he could still be accounted one of the
successful public men of American his
tory. Throughout his eloquent speeches
in the senate he poured forth facts,
arguments, appeals and pathetic cries
to save the little ones from the grind
ing jaws of capital and extend the pro-
lection of federal laws to the miser-
able waits of the mills and factories.
And his appeal will not be in vain.
Throughout the country there is re-
newed awakening to the necessity of
caring as much, at least, for children
as we do for dumb animals. Good
women and men have organized and
procured laws in the interest Of horses
and dogs and cats, and annually raise
large sums of money for the prosecu-
tion and punishment of the brutes who
are guilty of inhuman treatment. In
cidentally some laws have been passed
in nearly every state prohibiting the
employment of children under II and IA
years of age in certain lines of labor.
But who looks after the enforcement
of those laws? Who makes it special
business to care for the children? This
is where the failure comes.
In most states the duty of ferreting
out violations of the child labor law
or the state factory inspector, who,
after having gone hurriedly through the
mills and factories of a great city, re-
ports that he finds violations of the
somebody is fined a few dollars-and
then nothing more happens until the
commissioner or inspector comes around
again, several months later.
That is not sufficient. Organizations
are chartered in almost every city and
town to search daily and hourly for
persons who overwork and abuse
horses, or who cruelty treat cats and
dogs. Are not the children of equal
Importance?
1t is reported that right here in Los
Angeles there may be found hundreds
of children under the lawful age al
hard labor in the various Industrial or
commercial enterprises. If the state
and city and county are unable to keep
watch on these violations of law, why
not organize childrens society for
that purpose? 1t is high time that
something be done in that direction.
There are none too many children in
this country and it behooves men and
women to pay some attention to their
care and protection.
For of such is the kingdom of
dogs and cats, the friendly helpers of
man, but of the blessed bits of human
ity in the home, in the school, on the
streets and in the mills, the factories
and the shops. God never meant that
their little lives should be crushed out
of them for bread. He intended that
they should enjoy all the sunshine and
beauty of the world to the last par
ticle, and his condemnation forever
rests against those who would abuse
them.
Prosecute and punish, daily and
hourly, those who violate the law and
who would put illegal burdens upon
childhood life. Every community owes
this much to it's own conscience and
self-respect, as we'll as to the children.
And let the movement begin right here
in Los Angeles-in Los Angeles the
beautiful; in Los Angeles the golden.
And let it be said of this city that it ie
the children's city of refuge, the city
where the blessed sunshine and peren-
NAL flowers are for the little ones as
we'll as for the weary men and women
who come thousands of miles to enjoy
them. Begin the work here and begin
it now.
Not Only is civic nrida an ,.roa,t