The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-11

For thirty years the trades unions
Of the United States have been COM
batting child labor, but the general pub
lie gave little heed to the warfare,
reasoning from the assumption that
the unions were antagonistic for rea-
sons that were purely selfish. Labor
leaders pointed out the result Of this
growing evil, but still the general pub
lie gave no heed. Finally, thought
full people began an investigation
people who could not be charged with
selfish interest in opposing the en-
ployment of children-in industrial
occupations-and the awful truth so
long proclaimed by the trades unions
began dawning upon the public mind.
For a time it was threatened that the
anti-child labor crusade would degen-
crate into "fad," a sort Of diversion
for the idle rich, but the crusade re-
ceived such an impetus because Of the
Investigations Of socialogists that it
Is now well nigh universal.
Many Child Labor Laws.
A majority Of the states have al
ready enacted laws restricting the en-
have been loosely drawn, the primary
purpose being to the social
ed Tabor Vote without alternating
the support of the employers who pro-
fit enormously by the employment OF
| children. Even these loosely drawn
laws have not been enforced with any
degree of earnestness, and, as a result
the employment of children has not
; only become a national curse but it is
threatening the very foundations Of
government. 1t has taken long and
| weary years for the crusade against
! child labor to gather momentum, but
| IL now seems to be sweeping over
| the land, and there is a bright pros
| pect that something tangible will be
| given the people. Senator Beverages
| bill, which has been printed in The
Commoner, strikes at the very root
Of the evil and aims to provide a uni
| form law which will govern in inter-
| state affairs. This will strengthen
| state laws and make it more nearly
possible to enforce them as they should
be enforced. Senator Beverages bill
provides that:
Senator Beveridge's Bill.
"Six months from and after the
| passage of this act, no carrier Of inter-
state commerce shall transport or &C.
| cept for transportation the products
| Of any factory Or mine in which chill
dren under IA years Of age are en-
| ployed or permitted to work, which
! products are offered to said interstate
| carried by the firm, person or corpora
| ton owning or operating said factory
| or mine, or any Officer or agent there
| Of for transportation into any state
! or territory than the one in which
| said factory is located"
The bill provides for suitable affi-
| davits and penalties. The need of
| such a law ought to be apparent to
any man or woman who has given
even a. superficial study to the. prob
lem Of child labor. r..
A. few years ago. the astounding
assertion was made that, from 10000
to 10000 children in the one city of
New York went breakfastless: to
school every morning" This assertion
was widely copied throughout the
| country, and attracted the attention of
students of sociology. Among them
| was John Spargo, who Immediately
set to work to investigate the Child
| problem" with the result that he has
| given to the public a book The Bitter
Cry Of the Children" which should
| be read by every man and woman
whose heart beats in Sympathy with
the children, and who strives for the
| best in the future Of this republic. Mr..
| Spargo says in his preface:
| Leisure and Luxury of Wealth.
"A word Of personal explanation
may not be out Of place here. I have
been privileged to know something of
the leisure and luxury of wealth, and
more of the toll and hardship Of pov-
erty. When I write of hunger, write
Of what I have experienced-not the
enviable hunger. of health, but the
| s1cken1ng hunger of restitution. So
too, when I write of child labor, ]
know that nothing I have written of
the toll Of little boys and girls terrible
as 1t may seem to, some readers, ap-
proaches the real truth Of it's horrors
have not tried to write a sensational
book, but to present careful and can
did statement Of facts which seem tc
me to be of vital social Significance
Mr.. Spargo may not have strived TO,
the sensational, but no man or woman
in whose breast fingers one spark Of
human sympathy can read that book
without shudder Of horror. And he
who reads the book and does not re.