New-York tribune., 1908-03-12
THETNDER SIDE OF LIFE
WORKERS ON PROBLEW.
Relation of Labor to Congestion
Discussed at Conference.

.-,u6re, in tbe ooosested districts and the reIa-
tion Of labor 10 congestion were the sup'sctS u
discussion yesterday at the conference on conses-
non Of population begun Monday night At the
American Museum Of Natural History The ols-
cussscn hinged upon the exhibit in the west wing
of the museum Of conditions Of life here in New
York caused by congestion
Al The afternoon session descriptions were given
se how CONGESTION drives children to the streets
an6 then TO Juvenile courts and refoT111atorles'
how other children are forced TO slave N the.i
living rooms every minute they are cut OF scooi'
breeding disease among themselves ana e1oeal-
xe-in the lives OF thousands all over the country
Al The night session Mrs. Florence kelley. secIe-
rary of the National Consumers League. told now
sweatshops fostered congestion. and lapoT ieauei
ezolled the influence Of organized labor IN break
5ns them gp.
8aron Mayor des Planches visited the eKhih''
curing the morning with the italian consul '1eh-
eral and Chevalier 3. Attc1co. the royal ltallah
inspector Of immigration. L was announced al
-be tine that Sletl had lust been appropriated by
The Italian eovernrr1ent the exhibit committee
for investigating conditions IN italian dlsfr2e1s.
Because women workers as q class receive noth-
ing like a Iivcng vase and manage TO exist only
by crowding ard forscing even tne necessaIles O
life was one reason for congestion advanced hF
nr. Mary T BisseIl the secretary OF the Ne"
York State Consumers League 70 Thlch me morn
ing session given over. DT. blssell aSselISd
that in her opinion 2 woman or girl working IN q
factory in this state was better OF than one en-
rioved in the average department store. And thal'
che said despite the fact that the present factory
laws we're not as good as those in England
Dr. Edward 7. Devine. secretary Of the ChaTlty
Organization Society presided at the night meet
ing Before introducing the speakers he strongly
advocated that commission be appointed 10 con-
sider 1he edvtsaoity Of prohibiting the estanhsh-
-roenr OF factories in eongested districts tolloN-
ing him Mrs Kelley cited the example set by the
German government in purchasing land outside CT
cities and helping the poor 10 build homes on II
Her urgent appeal that the city government CT
New York should as soon possible follow that
example by buying lands IN the Bronx Brooklyn
End Richmond received with prolonged ap-
pIsuse
The point Of view of the socioogist was presented
tv Dr. Henry P Seager. Of Columbia. He pointed
czrr es one cause Of congestion an advantage OF
concentration from z commercial point Of view.
The question. he said. was many sided and had 10
he attacked on each of its sides. How the differ
ent rationaIties distributed through the city
was explained. with illustrations, hy Or. Walter
Iaidlaw.
Miss Mary Van KIeeck, speaking at the meeting
Sn the afternoon. eppealed for more laws and =
better nforcernent OF the present ones 10 prohibit
-he work Of children their homes more truth
fully rhe one. sometimes two. rooms, many Of them
used as homes She cited the results Of recent IL
vestigetions TO show the number Of such children
n New York at present. and the pitifullY small
wages not approaching 2 living wage. Tor which
they destroyed their health and lives Many of
these children. she said. went 10 school but worked
si the rest OF the time garments. flowers etc,
distributed by rnenufa cturers small contractors
Some q you think the problem Of congestion =
removed from YOU" said Miss Van Kleeck. but
tell -ou II aff scts this whole country have found
i East 18th street hats being made labelled Dallas
Tex There are terrible dangers 10 outsiders from
tnis. One family I investigated had very bad
kind of skin disease and they made coats, and
found that frequently in winter when they went 10
red they covered themselves with the coats they
making.
Mornsy Williams. rae president cf the New York
Iurenlle Asylum, described the cause and effect
between conCested districts and delinquent chill
dren
-For more than twenty years 1 have given my