Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-22
BOYS ON STREETS AT NIGHT
PROVISIONS OF THE CHILD La
Dor LAW VIOLATED.
Special Committee Recommends That
Children Under 16 Be Required
to Be at Home at $50.

As result of investigation of the
movements Of newsboys coming under
the provisions of the child labor law
between the hours of Z and 10 o'clock
last night by a committee composed OF
Zed H. Copp. chief probation officer of
the Juvenile Court; Raymond o. Viii
marth.. special representative OF 'Supt
Stuart of the schools, and r. A. Saun-
der the child labor law, Congress may be
asked to amend the law SO as to require
The .'newsies'' to be at their homes after
or $50 o'clock. instead of 10 o'clock,
the time now fixed by law.
The report of this special committee
will probably be made to Supt. Stuart
and transmitted by him to the District
commissioners with a recommendation
that Congress be urged to amend the
law as advocated
The members Of the committee ira
Nersed the greater part of the business
section Of the city beginning at o'clock
and later visited the variety and melo-
drama theaters to ascertain the number
Of children who nightly visit these places
OF amusement
When the committee began their tour
they visited number of the better class
Of saloons and found few boys in the
places attempting to dispose Of papers
These boys were quickly sent out, with
the direction not to sell papers in such
places In a number of instances their
names and addresses were taken.
Taken From the Line.
The gallery line before one Of the
variety theaters was inspected and
several hundred men and boys were
found lined up waiting for admission.
Mr. Copp walked up and down the line
several times to pick out those under
sixteen years Of age. He recognized a
number of the boys whom Judge De-
Lacy of the Juvenile Court had placed
under him on probation. and these were
removed from the line by the probation
officer.
They We're given a short lecture and
sent 10 their homes with the notice that
as they had given their promise to the
Judge OF the Juvenile Court not to attend
such places the probation officer was de-
1crmined that they should keep their
r!edge. II they did not they were told
they would he taken before the court
again, when perhaps they would not be
'lealt with leniently they were when
Judge DeI-acy put them on probation.
The committee then visited the gallery
e another of the variety theaters. Here
The committee counted eighty boys. ap-
Nareutly under the age of sixteen. and
here the large attendance of children
convinced Messrs. Copp, Wilmarth and
Saunders that something should be done
:" remedy the situation.
Devoted to Melodrama.
tner leaving THIS gallery the commit
t~e went to the Jerry of a theater where
to presentationf melodrama was In
progress. Here were also a number OF
boys under the age of sixteen. The com
rpjttoe was well satisfied that the scene
before il was one which called for action
~ Congress.
Tho 'uewsies' are now allowed on the
streets or away from their homes from
g o'clock in the morning to 10 o'clock al
night After their papers are sold. which
IN some few instances is as late as I
o'clock. the boys plan to attend one OF the
variety theaters. Here. crowded in the
galleries with men of all races, the mem
hers OF the committee claim, the pros
poet for their uplitt is not what il should
ne not as contemplated In the provis-
ious of the child-labor law.
They believe that Congress should be
urged to decrease the time limit in the
law to require the children 10 be in their
homes by not later than $50 O'Clock In
the evening. instead of being turned into
the streets from theater at IL o'clock
directly violating the law framed for
their protection.