The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-11-07
AGAINST CHILD LABOR
Crusade to Break the Bonds of
Infant Slaves.
TO PUSH BEvERIDaE BILL.
"restdent Roosevelt to Support the
Movemens-Fisht Likely to Be Bit
ter-How Local Organizations May
Help tho Cause of the Little Ones,

ter-How Local Organizations MAY
Help the Cause of the Little Ones.
A well defined movement Is under
way to interest Brooklyn and Manhat-
tan charitable and philanthropic organ
lZations In the crusade to be waged
the coming winter against child labor,
says the Brooklyn Eagle The bill
restricting this sordid phase OF modern
lndustrialism so far rs possible will
pc presented In congress by Senator
beveridge OF Indiana, and President
Roosevelt has promised to give it all
the support which the pressure of his
lnnuence can exert. The Sight will be
pltter one, for the commercial enter
prises which fatten on the work wrung
from tiny hands and weakened bodies
Will be as unwilling to give up their
prey as was the south to relinuuish
It's hold upon slave-iabor. Primarily
the thrusts of the crusaders will strike
at the mine and mill owners in Penn
sylvania and Massachusetts, but the
moral aid of local societies may accom-
plish good deal in forcing the enact
ment of the Beveridge bill into law.
Child labor as 1t exists In Pennsyl-
vania Is an evil that cries to heaven.
Any federal Investigation which has
tinge of Intelligence cannot get away
from this conclusion.
Children of school age are employed
in the coal breakers, mines and silk
mills. The law limiting employment
to children over fourteen is dead. The
number of boys in the breakers and
mines is estimated at 12.SO0 The
number of girls in silk mills is I'M
known. Possibly there are 10000 of
school age. State factory inspectors
report $4,000 children in Industrial en-
Payments outside mines
The Right Rev. Bishop Hoban Of the
anthracite region in recent statement
says:
1T Is not in the mines alone that the
child labor evil tiourishes. Every day
meet on the streets young girls going
to and from their work in the mills
and factories who should be in school.
The health of many is undermined by
exacting duties of the night shift.
They grow prematurely old. In urging
the enforcement of the child labor laws
L only repeat what l have said so often
that no child under fifteen years
should be allowed to go to work, and
1t is one of the most sacred duties of
the parents to see that they DON'T
The existence and extent of the child
labor evil are testified to by many. 9TH
ers. At the hearing of the committee
appointed by President Roosevelt to
arbltrate the last anthracite strike the
number of boys of fourteen or under
employed was given as from COCO to
$4,000 by one authority.
Recently the chief of the department.
OF mines, Mr.. Roderick, called Mt
Scranton n conference of mine inspect
ors and solemnly informed them that
the child labor laws must not be fur
Their disregarded. or course there was
no change.
A systematic canvass Of seven bor-
oughs In the anthracite districts, hav-
ing an aggregate population of 9O,OS3
and n school enrolment of 1903 and
mining population of $4,000, elected
replies from school superintendent,
who estimated that there are In those
seven boroughs not less than 2,4GO
boys under age working In mines. On
this basis the number in the entire re-
gion would be 14,TGO.
1t is the ambition of every breaker
boy to be promoted to the mines. That
means that he is almost a man, Shar-
ing the danger and responsibility of
mans work. And 1T is the ami ition of
many employers to get them there. be
cause they do a mans work for a
boys pay.
And the reports of factory inspectors
show that accidents to children are
from 25O to 300 per cent more frequent
than to adults.
And yet breaker bosses and mine
superintendent are often heard to say:
Its good for the little devils. l
served my time in the breaker, and 1t
never done me no hurt"
According to which doctrine all acct
dents are good-all killings, maimings
and sufferings, all Ignorance, i'll health
and degeneracy.
There are $4,000 children in the fac
tories-probably more, but that many
by official reports-and 1880 boys in
the breakers and the mines. all of an
age when they ought to be in school.
The state has close to 10000 chill
dren between the ages Of ten and elev-
en- who are unable to read or write.
Can the nation afford to leave these
problems to the states?
Printers international Congress.
Tho frniaS 1p{onS hold an