The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-03-23
Eva Mcdonald Valesh, Who Has
No Superior in This Country for
Clearness Of Perception and
Adequacy Of Expression Dis
cusses Child Labor,
Shows That Trades Unionism Has
at Last Succeeded in Arousing
the Public Conscience Against
This Most Infamous of All
Iniquities.
The Public Every Where Are Get
ting to View With Alarm the
Horrors Present and Prospec-
tive That Must Result From
This Monstrous Evil.

This talented woman, Eva McDon-
aid Valesh, from whose pen nothing
superficial ever emanated, very prop
erly attributes, this arousal of pub
lie opinion against child labor, to the
solidarity of trade unions upon the
question. To be recognized as the
moving factor in the matter by so
distinguished and gifted a person as
Mrs. Mcdonald Valesh, is a great
triumph in itself. Long may she live,
and enjoy the best Of which our civil
ization is capable. Want of space
prevents our giving the article in it's
entirety but we cite from it sufflcients
to show the clear cut views of the
author.
Public Opinion CrystaIIizine.
The subject of child labor has be-
come a topic, Of national Importance.
The President, Congress, and various
societies vie with each other in CALL
ing attention to the necessity Of at
once correcting the evil.
Organized Labor, which has, prac-
tically, made the fight alone against
child labor for so many years-and
with considerable success, as many
state laws show-now finds many SYM
pathetic allies from all classes Of cit
liens; and not a moment too soon, for
the little ones die off in the mills and
mines while reformers debate as to
which is the best method Of con-
trolling the commercial spirit which
leads employers to seek the labor of
children
Drastic Measures Demanded.
Public opinion Is crystallizing rap
idly in the conviction that child labor
must be stopped. 1t can not be said,
however, that either employers or pa
arhayass become enyine1d soffsstlle
|subjeet. Iegislat ton, even mo- string
Fent and thorough than We have, rs
absolutely necessary. What a COM
mentary on our civilization when en-
ployers deliberately seek the. labor of
children simply because it is cheap
and easily exploited. It is easy to
understand that in exceptional cases
Of need the widowed mother or help
less father may feel that the tiny little
ones will starve unless they are sent
out to pick up what crumbs they may,
but even then it must be confessed
that far too many parents seem to
think there is no wrong in allowing
young children to help support the
family. What a reversal Of the natural
order, that children should be expect
ed or allowed to support the adult
members Of the family!
Reform Watchwords.
The employing class is conceded to
have more and greater opportunities
for mental and spiritual education than
the wage-workers, yet many employ
ers seem to have no objection what
ever to child labor.
"The interest Of the people," "the
future of the child" should be the
watchwords in this reform It is a.
most pathetic thing that the future of
thousands Of children shall be blighted
and that they shall be so physically
and morally and Intellectually stunted
that life in it's normal enjoyment shall
never be known to them. BY what