Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-29
THE UNION LABEL.
Talk by ". H. wisner,
National Organizer,
Before the Central Labor Union,
Augusta, Tuesday Evening.
What Has Been Done Toward Ah0l.
ishing Child Labor.

W. H. Wisner, national organizer of
the United Garment Workers OF Amer
ica, who is conducting an active cam
paign through New England in the in
terest of the Union label, gave an in
telesting talk before the Central Labor
Union last evening.
Mr.. Wisner said the trades unions
have done more to elevate the condi-
ton of the worker and have conferred
more lasting benefits on the entire
community than all other agencies
combined.
1t is the activity of the trades union
lists which has reduced the hours of Ia
Dor and given the worker an opportu-
nifty for physical relaxation and men-
tai development. 1t is due to the eff
forts of the trades unonists that the
worker of today is surrounded with
many of the comforts of life, which
the previous generation knew nothing
OF; bat, in spite of all that they have
accomplished, there remains an enor-
NOUS amount of work to be done.
We have succeeded in abolishing the
sy stem of prison contract labor in some
of the states. We have taken thou
SanQS OF niue clllluIell oul' VI tilC
mines and mills, and the sweatshops.
and returned to them the God-glven
heritage Of happy childhood; the right
to play in the pure air, in the bright
sunshine, and a development of their
mental, moral and physical qualities.
But there are countless thousands OF
little children immured in the slave
pens of the manufacturers. wrecking
their young lives, in order to pile up
dividends to be squandered in the gay
white ways of our great social centers
And this condition of child slavery
exists from the sardine cannerles OF
PASSPORT, Me, to the salmon canneries
OF Oregon; from the single mills OF
Wisconsin to the cotton mills OF the
South. And with direct reference to
the South. let me say that the South
ern planter, previous to the Civil war,
would not permit the black pickaninny,
born IN slavery to toll, no more than
a Maine farmer would harness year.
ling colt to the pillow, because this black
child represented a cash investment.
The so-called captains of industry of
today endeavor to make us thing that
they are comforting a benefit on our
white children by claiming them to the
machines OF the factories at the ten
der age of six years. Do not think that
| am exaggerating. l have found chill
drer even younger than that in the to-
bacco factories of the South l have
found little boys, eight years of age,
working 1919 hours, night work, in the
silk mills of Cumberland. Maryland.
The difference between the black child.
= ~ nd hn "a
child. born in the so-called condition
of liberty is exactly the difference be-
tween the horse which belongs to you,
and the one you hire at a livery stable.
The Great Leader of Men said, sui
fer little children to come unto me.
for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The so-called captain of industry par
aphrases this beautiful teaching, and
reads il, "send the little children unto
me. and | will coin them into gold"
1t would be well for the employer of |
the child slaves to read the conclusion |
of the remarks made by the gentle |
CARPENTER of Nazareth on the same oc |
ca sion, "for, whatsoever shall offend the |
least OF these, NV little ones. it We're
better for him that a mill stone were |
hanged about his neck, and he were
cast into the sea"
We are able to spend vast sums of |
money to build houses of refuge, pris-
ons and other reformatory and penal |
institutions, but We are too poor to
furnish adequate educational facilities |
for our young, and even when we do
build school, instead of sending the
child to school, we send him into the |
ofn Wa have the wind and |
we shall reap the whirlwind
The sweat shop continues to exist in |
all of our large centers of population.
ard it is in these pest holes that the |
Great White Plague mas its inception.
We are spending annually vast sums
of money to combat that dread disease, |
whose ravages are appalling. to those
who have made study of this
scourge. The chief medical officer of /
this State, in report issued a few
days since, stated that 10000 people :
now living in the State of Maine are i
destined to die of tuberculosis unless /
some steps are taken to curb this dis
ease He further stated that the cost
to this State in the loss of the produce
tive capacity of the sufferers was
$50, 100000 each decade, or S2,O0O,OO0 a +
year, and in this estimate no consider
alton is taken of the agony Of the suf-
ferers or of the anguish Of those to
whom they are near and dear. But this
disease will continue to spread. 1t will
claim a large percentage Of our popu- /
lation, year by year, until we should
close the sweat shops and eliminate
child slavery 70 n i4.b ss~S- +" 20
With regard to the system Of prison i