The Washington herald., 1908-07-02

Through all Of yesterday. patient
youths, accompanied by tired mothers.
repeated the question. Am / next?" and
gazed wlstfully into the Office Of Clerk r.
o. Wilmarth, who is issuing the permits
at the Franklin School for Washingtous
industrious children who want TO work.
and at the same time comply with the
new District child labor law, which went
into effect yesterday
Long before the Office Of the clerk
opened, the alley on the south side of the
building and the benches In Franklin
Park We're hlled with future captains Of
industry, waiting TO get in line and OBJ
tain their certificates
The District child labor law went into
effect yesterday. and to be ready for It
the superintendent Of schools Office and
the Office OF the Judge of the Juvenile
Court have practically suspended all other
business, in order that they may issue
the necessary permits showing the chill
dren TO be Of the required age and 20
have had the necessary number of days
at school in the year, and to be physical
" able 10 do the work they seek permis-
sion TO do. From early morning until 10
O'Clock last night there was long line
Of boys and girls and parents waiting TO
get licenses.
All Sorts of Conditions.
In the line were all sorts and condl-
tions of humanity There was the wild
owed washerwomau. with her boys, who
add TO the family exchequer. There was
the government clerk in white hanuels.
who Is teaching his youngstrr 90 work.
There We're boys in bare feet. boys with
big patches on their breechcs. and boys
with their toes sticking through their
shoes. There were boys with crutches-
unfortunate cripples. whose conditions
mOstened the eyes of the sympathetic,
The line became SO long it was i'm
possible TO dispose of half the appli-
cants This IS due. Supt Stuart says. TO
the small clerical force.
Congress passed the law" he added,
but made no provision for doing the
work necessary 10 inaugurating and put
ting IL In force. consequently. We have
20 use one of the men in the Office OF
the board of education. and then several
teachers have volunteered their services
The clerk is notary. and takes all afii-
dav!js. u will be some time before the
work is finished"
The crowds last night were much larger
than those of the day. When the hour
for closing the Office came. r. O. vii
marth announced to the 30 or more
youngsters vino had been waiting for
hours that they must return the next
day.
More than half OF those who filed 10y
Clerk Wilmarths desk are asked To call
again. having been found lacking I'm some
thing. A large number are sent TO Judge
DE Lacy. who has authority 10 set aside
the strict Interpretation OF the act. and
issue certificates. Many youngsters call
without their parents or guardians; others
fail 10 get certificates showing they have
attended school l3o days IN the last year.
lie Was Not Present.
'Win YOU swear this boy was born on
asked Mr.. WiImarth of an adult friend OF
one of the applicants.
Il wasn't present on the happy occasion
and cannot swear came the answer
One big. husky man about thirty years
Of age, walked up TO the clerk and asked
for a permit for his boy. When asked
where his boy was, he turned around and
pointed TO a pale looking little chap not
more than six years old. and said: THAR
he be" Mr.. Wilmarth asked how old he
was. and the man replied eleven years.
The man was told the boy looked too
young and fraiI 10 work and he would
have to see Judge De Lacy He went
away mumbliug his dissatisfaction.
\ number Of excuses from those who
had been standing In the line for hours
were offered the janitor OF the building,
who acted as usher One woman with a
"A sick baby At home. and that she must
go. She was given one permit when her
turn came. Another said she had sick
husband. and another declared she was
losing thine away from her work
Keen disappointment was the lot of sew
eral youngsters. one elcven-year-Old
girl was taken before Mr. Wnmarth by
her mother.
What is your girl going to do the
mother was asked.
Tip umbrellas" was the reply.
''She can't do il until she is twelve years
Old" Mr.. Wilmarth told her.
'Oh, she doesn't have 20 work hard "
pleaded the mother. "She runs errands
and brings materials, and between times
she puts tips on umbrellas. and that's
ali she has to do"
"She couldn't do that If she only worked
one minute "A day. because she is under
age" said Mr. Wilmarth
Denied Her New Dress.
We'll. you can't have that new dress
for the picnic the mother remarked to
the daughter. All the childish dreams
for months had faded away with the re-
fusal
Finding that juvenile Washington IS
more ambitious and Industrious than he
realized. A. T. Stuart. superintendent of
schools. announced that the time for OBJ
tanning age and schooling certificates,
which give children under sixteen years
Of age permission to work. viii be ex-
tended for several days after this week.
There is no necessity for employers Of
children 10 discharge them. he says, until
the youngsters have had an opportunity
to get permits.
superintendent Stuart believes that
nearly all the children in the city want
TO go to work this summer, Judging by
the number of applicants for certificates.
He had a conference yesterday with Com
missioner West, and said that from in
formation about 10000 certificates will
have TO be issued 20 children who come
within the provisions OF the law.