Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
CHILD LABOR DISCUSSION
Bill Pending Before Esbrssks Lsgislsturs
the Topic Of Debate.
VICTOR ROsEwAItR EXPLAINS POSITION
Not Opposed to child Labor LeEisla-
tIon, but Points Out Objections
20 some Portions of the
Pending Measure.

The Chiid's Laoor bill and the Juvenile
court were the topics Of discussion at the
lyric theater Tuesday night with Dean
Beecher, Victor Rosewater, Judge Ken
nedy. Judge Sutton and w. II. PennocS
az the speakers. NJ @. Rohrbough pre-
sided and the music was furnished by Mrs.
n. X. Wheelock, Mrs. @. w. Hamilton,
Miss Helen Sadilek and Frank Zentmire.
other prominent men occupying the plat
form were DR.. r. L. Wheeler OF South
Omaha, Rabbi Cohn. Doc. Carver and Mogy
Bernstein OF the juvenile court. John Dale
and Judge Estelle
I've as a community and state are deeply
Interested In these subjects," sale Mr..
Rohrbough In calling the meeting to order.
II has always been a question, what Will
be done with our boys. We have invited
prominent men here tonight who will In
diligently discuss these important ques-
tions."
Dean Beecher spoke entirely on the sub
feet OF the Juvenile court and said: The
Juvenile court as II exists today Is prac-
tically the chief safeguard which the state
has thrown up against the rapidly increas-
ing forces Of crime which threaten our well
fare and safety. Several years ago several
states became worked up over the condl-
ton OF the boys who were growing up with
practically no home training. What could
be expected except the criminal tendencies
Parents were permitting their children &c
grow up as animals. without moral train
ing. When a boy or girl is permitted tC
run without guidance the time comes soor
when some restraint must be put on b.
the state and 80 the states stepped in Tn,
- fha q. a.. a.
llnquent child that ne might enjoy hi
childhood 1t Is not the aim OF the juve
nile court to punish the child. The juve
nile court hnds why the child went wronl
and tries to start him on the right road"
Kennedy on Child Labor.
Judge Kennedy took UP the discussion
of the child labor law and spoke Of tn,
good the law would do for the children 1
passed by the present legislature.
This Is q materialistic age, certainly
time OF unprecedented prosperity, and tn
danger IL at such times to think Of thing
,Only as we see them" said Judge Kennedy
sT am glad TO see this institution turi
aside from thoughts OF money making an,
consider the souls of the students.
THE purpose of the child labor law Is tn
protection of the child and the state whicl
has no greater interest than the interes
tof the children. The period of infancy o
animal. A child is perfectly helpless AM
man II greater than that OF any othe
dependent. There is a law on the statut
books now which - inadequate because
admits children OF 10 years to work an
does not limit the hours Prof. Howard o
the University of Nebraska said the othe
day that the laws of Nebraska were no
as good as the laws OF Russia Nebraska /
nrst In education. but deficient in labo
law.
THE bill at Lincoln was drafted afte
laws In other states. The bill Is not perfect
but II Is q good bill and we think 1t tn
best bill we could have passed at thi
time.
"Children under 10 years shall not b
employed more than eight hours a day o
more than six days a week and shall nc
work before 6 a m. or after p. m.
'',rhe objection that this law may wor
\ hardship upon some family depender
upon them is not borne out by statistic
and there are other avenues open. Tn
burden should be borne by the communit
Jather than by a 12-year-old child. No la
Bnforces itself, but it needs the publ
Ientiment behind IL. as we'll as oficer
those opposing this measure. with fe
exceptions. are those who are employin
shild labor. Their motive is profit fro
he labor OF children"
Not Advocate of Child Labor.
The chairman next presented Hon. Vict'
Roeewater. editor OF The Bee who spoke,
part, as follows;
ssWhen 1 was asked to speak here tn
evening the invitation was to enter into
loint debate on the question OF child lab
legislation. and 1 refused point blank. b
cause / was not in favor OF child labo
though / thought that the present propos
oil pending at Lincoln was open 10 serio
criticism. said 1 would be willing
speak TO that measure with reference
the features that thought were not cor
mendabie. and am here in answer to tn
invitation on that condition.
Eat the outset l want to resent respeC
fully the imputation which the speaker ju
before me has put out. He noted some e
ceptions, but with the evident purpose
prejudice the audience. that anyone w
would criticlse this biz was trying to gri
down poor, innocent children and ma
some personal pecuniary profit out of It.
say / resent that because while critici
the bill say that of all the young m
who have ever worked for the institute
with which 1 am connected not one ey
worked but who received good pay for
work or who was ever harmed or injur
by It. And there are hundreds and hu
dreds OF young men around this city W
have worked for that institution and W
have been paid good wages before IN
were ls years Of age, and they are go
citizens In our midst today.
81 will make my position more clear
referring 10 some correspondence. I W
invited Among others to become one
the Nebraska child labor committee
gantAd TO promote the cause OF oh
lRbsf legislation l received that invit
ION from Mr.. owen r. Lovejoy. sssists