New-York tribune., 1907-01-22
TO PROTECT WOMEN.
URGES CONGRESS ACTION.
Mass Meeting attacks Conditions of
Child and Female Labor.

A mass meeting was held last night in Carnegie
Lyceum to protest against the abuse of child and
female labor 1t held under the auspices of
the Womans Trade Union League, the Charity
Organization Society, the Consumers League Of
New York. the Association for Improving the Con-
dition Of the Poor the Working Girls Association
the Federation of Women's Club. the National Child
Labor Committee, the Central Federated Union. the
Neighborhood Workers Association, the Manhattan
Trade School for Girls, and the Public Education
Association.
Among the speakers were Robert ". de Forest
the chairman: DR.. Edward J. Devine. DR.. Abraham
jacob, ex-Commissioner Homer Folks and Dr.
Stephen S. Wise.
The principal object of the meeting was to arouse
Congress to a realization Of the necessity of pro-
viding during this session for searching investi-
CATION into the condition of work of women and
children IN the United States.
The keynote of the sentiment Of the meeting
was the quotation from President Roosevelt's
message on child labor by the line. I'VE cannot
afford to neglect the children of the nation"
Speaker after speaker told of the horrors Of
child labor, the wasting by disease and toll of tiny
children and Of the grave menace to the morality
and health of the nation by the too heavy labor
OF female factory employees
The result OF all the discussion was finally crys-
tallized by resolution offered by A. ]. Boulton, and
unanimously adopted by those present. The resolu-
ton recited that the health, intelligence and morals
of the nation depended entirely upon the health. in
telligence and of the working classes There
are millions of women, the future mothers of the
nation said the resolutions, who work under con-
ditions that make impossible any hope for them to
attain physical mental or moral health. The reso-
lutions went to say that since there was not
now In existence any trustworthy authority on the
hours, means and kinds of employment on which
TO base legislative action, It the sense Of all
the organizations represented at the meeting that
Congress should appropriate a sum sufficient 10
make q thorough and adequate investigation
Rabbi Wise pleaded at length for the appropria-
ton of at least $4,000 by Congress to make this
investigation. He said that the social order was
diseased but that before the disease could be cured
or even treated. 4 proper diagnosis would have TO
be made
He said that public opinion would force legisla-
ton on the matter but that to be effective the leg
islation would have to be preceded by aud be
based on conscientious and scientific investigation.
For this reason, he said. that he could plead only
for the quick passage OF bill appropratins a suf-
icent
He quoted Miss Adams 10 the effect that tho
problems of child and female labor will never be
solved by class warfare or the optimism of igno-
rance. He said that If It that democracy
protection to the toilers then it became douby
true that the United owed protection to the
women and children who had been forced TO toll.
The first speaker, Mrs Kelly, Of the Consumers
League declared that the conditions surrounding
young girls employed at night were terrible. ex-
posed as they were all kinds Of danger. Not the
least OF these she said. came from the law itself.
which should protect them. for many young girls,
she said were arrested for disorderly conduct by
patroluen anxious TO add TO the list Of arrests.
She also described other dangers 10 young women
kept out late at night BY their work
Dr. Jacob read a long paper describing the In
juries to health incurred by women employed un-
der unhealthy conditions In factories and their ef-
feet on actual or possible maternity. He said that
the children born 70 working were under
nourished. lacking in vitality and mentality The
child OF a working woman, 10 said, was nandl-
capped by its mothers inability 70 nurse H. Hs the
child OF richer parents was handicapped 10y his
..No person should starve' he said in conclu-
sion, simply because another wishes L. be Well
Rested that those present should write 70 Senator
Allison and Senator Aldrich 70 force upon them
the weight Of public opinion demanding an invcs.t-
cation by the Department OF Commerce and Labor.
gresham Herbert Parsons, who Is devoted friend
OF the opponents OF child labor.
Child labor Commission and ex-Charltcs Comrnts-
sioner Of this city, spoke on Child Labor. 4 Ma
tional Question" He said that investigation Of a
sort had been made and statistics Of kind gath
cred about the glass factories Of Ohio New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, the mines Of Pennsylvania and
tho employment Of little Children and women IN
But, he said, there was not sufficient specific and
definite information Of the question, ana i was
Imperative that the grant OF $4,000 be made FOR
the investigation before drastic and remedial legis-
Ia tion.
He suggested that a new form Of death certificate
be made obligatory. He said that the law requiring
being violated. Instead OF entering the cause OF
death pneumonia, he said that the real cause
enough-that instead OF tuberculosis y should be
entered that the father of family had been forced
TO work too long hours with wet feet