The Washington times., 1907-07-21
For Emancipation
of The Children
. By DIR. FELIX ADLER.

= seems at hrst almost. incred-
fble that the attitude Of so
c5ety toward the child should
ever have been otherwise than
tender and considerable. II is almost
past belief that IN a country and
civilization as advanced as ours. ss
proud OF It's humanity. as hospitable
toward All good causes, 81 should be
necessary to pray the American pso-
PIE to hold their protecting hand over
the future citizens OF this republic
We ind 20 our arnazeuent that far
down IN primitive ages there existed
cruel and iihumzn practices with -
spect to children.
The explanation IS partly 70 be found
In the extreme poverty OF those early
ancestors OF ours. partly IN The evil
influence OF superstition. we End that
infantlcide was widespread. Seneca
boasteG that exposure Of children re
vailed among the Romans. Children
we're sometimes sold into slavery.
-A------s NCA LN-L lAADes q Cfll4 IS
killed II II was G,Tn in stormy vreather
because this was considered an I'll
omen. II the child cut It's upper front
teeth before Il cut its lower front
teeth II was killed. because this was
an III omen Deformea children xers
often killed. not because they we're
defornaed. but because they we're IN
canny.
One OF the ancient supsrstitions was
hat II you wished TO build a great
edilce. Or bridge. or city wall. or any
thing that was 10 stand, YOU must
take a child's blood and paint Il on
the foundation stone. OF b,1-v ~.
child under the foundations Only a
few years ago there was found en-
bedded IN the foundation OF the city
walls OF Bremen the skeleton ~ .
child That was a cruel superstition
Of the past We must not attempt 70
build W the civilization Of America IN
the PROSTATE form OF American cri1-
dren.
The argument which has beer. chiefly
emphasized in the child labc- move
ment Is that we must not allow -b.ze
hundreds Of thousands Of children n
ne sacrificed. No one can tell ,-o,, e,x-
actly how many there arc. There e a
dispute as 10 whether there are 40
900 or 2Go0.coO.
Inc usual argument presented e
mat this premature toll nh1sioar,-
ana mentally and morally lowers tbe
standard OF civilizat atom. II We ALLOW
this To go on. Il Is said. the uext
generation will become degenerate.
and the standard Of American cfvfliza-
ton Will be lowered. 7 have heard Y
said that for the child 20 so 20 work
Is good. But work on the farm fs one
thing, and work in a cotton MIL. es-
peclallv AZ night. In a sweat SHOP ST
IN cisar shop. breathing the dust OF
tobacco ~ the little lungs. Is quite
4 different matter That does net
make for health. that does not make
for physical development.
The child under fourteen that e set
10 work is not Inly physically STUNT
ed but also me- tally crippled. Ger ne
gets no chance. al the time his Mind
IS plastic. 70 be in school. This ehUI
labor movement must be accom~ar1foI
ny a movement for compulsory csnca-
tion I'm every State
Shall we leave this matter IN ths
hands Of the States. or shall we cau
IN The Nation2
The question has 20 be faced. whe-h-
- the time has not now come VIXEN
cespite the emphasis on state rescon-
sthinty, II is necessarv for rs 70 sex
for sn exercise OF national authority
in order 20 draw back this nation from
this preciPice on which & stands.
When a part Of the nation acts in
such a way tsss44 the mischief o. rs
action extends beyond its op-n b--.
ders. 5heR the whole ration must In
terVene.
LII o. rnn4