Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
MeKibbin


secretary Of the national child labor COM
mittee, about a month ago, and in reply
this Is what 1 wrote to him;
Replying to your letter dated February
inviting me to become one Of the Nebraska
child labor committee, l wish to say that
believe II would be better for me not
ment to prevent children from working
in harmful pursuits, but l do not regard
all gainful pursuits as harmful. For this
reason l am not in full accord with the
child labor bill which you had prepared
and presented to the Nebraska legislature.
believe that adequate compulsory educa-
ton laws with restrictions upon en-
Payments, Injurious to the physical or
moral well-being of children Is all that Is
demanded in our state.
Bill Not Considered Perfect.
IT received another letter from Mr. Love-
Joy which will read in part because 1
think It will give light upon the subject,
and also show that what Judge Kennedy
thinks is a bill which should not be
changed in any particular is not entirely
satisfactory to the national child labor
committee.
1 beg to acknowledge receipt of your
letter OF February regarding the Ne
braska child labor committee and am writ
ing to correct what l fear Is misappre-
hension on your part Let me first say
that the members of the national child
labor committee and of the various state
committees represent a wide variety OF
opinion on details of legislation. 1t is
only through the exchange of these diff
ferent views that we are able to arrive
at what we believe to be wise and pro-
gressive methods in child labor reform.
We should consider II unfortunate, there
| in the state committee because unable to
I endorse any particular bill pending be-
| fore the legislature.
| Referring to the misapprehension implied
| in your letter, let me say that the child
labor bill now before the Nebraska legis-
| lnfr Ia mot nnA Nvht oh shaH TFaTN raA
/ and presented to the Nebraska Legislature"
We did not see the bill until 1t appeared
| in the printed form, after being introduced
and had nothing to do with its prepara-
| ton. Had we done so, 1 can assure you
that the bill would have been free from
| two serious defects: First, the failure to
| require what has been found in older in
| dustrial states an adequate proof of age;
and second. the failure to provide for we'll
paid inspectors to administer the law in
place of the volunteer inspectors provided
for in the bill. In spite OF these defects.
| however, the bill on the whole is a very
| good one and We believe its enactment
would be of great advantage to the indus
tries and people of your state. The bill
is not a drastic measure, as your corre-
| spondent believes, but a very reasonable
lone. Such law should have the effect
of preventing the introduction of injurious
forms OF child labor, as well as of cor
recting any evils that may now exist.
1t was drawn, l suppose. after the plan
| suggested in the handbook of the National
Consumers league. This handbook con-
tains a model bill embodying features that
experience has proven essential to effective
legislation.
Now we have been told that the laws
of Nebraska are not as favorable for the
prevention of child labor as those of Rus
STA 1 do not know exactly what the laws
OF Russia provide, but 1 have taken the
trouble today to run over the statutes
Of Nebraska to see what our laws are
touching upon this question. / do not
want Nebraska TO be put in the same cat.
egory with Russia IL 1t implies that Ne.
braska has been negligent or has beer
backward in doing what is needed &c
protect the children. The laws of Ne.
braska at present provide:
. Il Against cruelty to children which
includes not only the depriving of food
clothing and shelter. but also permitting
the life Of the child to be endangered o.
| the health TO be injured, or to permit sucl
children TO be overworked.
p Against employing minors In or upoI
| premises occupied as billiard hall.
So Against allowing a girl under IS o.
poy under n in any house OF i'll fame o.
-. Against selling intoxicating liquor I,
any minor under q years OF age.
%. Against employment Of anJ child un
der 10 years OF ageSin any manufacturing
mechanical, industrial or mercantile estab
lishment'
/ IL in any such establishment except durinl
vacations, unless the child has during tn
year next preceding such employment at
II
0 In addition attends school twenty week
, each successive year.
~ Against employing any female chill
Q in any manufacturing. mechanical or mer
I camille establishment, hotel or restaurant
more than sixty hours during any on
week or ten hours in any one day, no
a before o'clock in the morning or after /
n o'clock at night.
IS The compulsory education law In Ne
braska requires that every child over tn
age of and under the age OF Is shall al
tend school during each school year for
period of not less than twelve weeks. wit
a few unimportant exceptions.
o -. In cities truant officers are employee
o to see TO II that all children subject to tn
; compulsory education law are in schoC
= and have ample authority to compel Their
d to attend.
10. The juvenile court law places a
= dependent children under the age of
under jurisdiction OF the juvenile couI
s and gives the juvenile court officers wild
4 authority to restrain any dependent chile
any neglected child. any delinquent child
II. Paid probation officers are employee
d in counties having over 1000 populatio
: 20 see TO the enforcement OF provisions c
:. | the juvenile court law.
~ The eurfew ordinance in Omaha pre-