The Washington times., 1908-06-24
CHILD LABOR LAW
IN EFFECT JULY 6
Enforcement Will Start After
District Offices Are
Moved.
WORK PROHIBITED
UNDER FOURTEEN
Boys Under Ten and Girls Under
Sixteen Cannot Vend Wares
on Streets.

The child labor law for the District
OF Columbia will go into effect July
instead Of July L
On July 6, the District Commissioners
will see that the provisions Of the new
law are enforced in every particular.
although Congress made no provision
financially for carrying out the statute
The expense Of employing two inspec-
tors at Sl,2OO each viii be avoided b.
appointing two members Of the police
force to do the work. The only other
expense Will be printing badges and GER
tiicates necessary In the enforcement
OF the law. This will be paid out Of the
lump appropriation for contingent eX-
penses."
The reason for putting the law into ef-
feet July instead OF July is that the
Commissioners aud the entire District
government will be busy with the labor
Of moving from the rented quarters OF
the Government TO the new building at
Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania av-
enUe.
Provisions Of New Law.
From that date, the following condi-
tions Will be in effect:
No child under fourteen years OF age
any other purpose unless, under excep-
tional circumstances, the judge Of the
Juvenile Court shall issue a permit al
lowing such work.
No child under sixteen years OF age
shall be allowed TO work in any fac
tory or other establishment unless the
proprietor of the establishment keeps
on exhibition an age and schooling ce--
tihcate. and keeps a complete record OF
all such children employed by MIN.
The superintendent of schools, or a
person Authorized by him, snail issue
al schooling certificates. and the age
certificates shall be made from the birth
or baptism records Of the children al
fected
Whoever employs a child or allows a
child 10 be employed against the pro-
visions OF the law shall be deemed
guilty Of a misdemeanOr and fined not
more than $50 Whoever continues to
violate the law shall be fined so for
each day that the continuance exists.
Will See Law Is Obeyed.
The two inspectors are charged with
the duty Of visiting all business and
CONNER cial establishments ana seeing
that the law is enforced.
Another important provision Of tho
bill is that no boy under ten years OF
age and no girl under sixteen shall
black boots OF sell newspapers or any
wares OF merchandise on she streets.
Commissioner Macfarland, under
whose supervision the enforcement Of
the law comes, said today:
Il do not think that many children or
establishments will be affected by the
enforcement of the law. I am glad TO
say that, comparatively speaking, the
District Of Columbia has few instances
IN which the children are abused by
being worked or overworked in the fac
tories, shops or other institutions. While
we have no actual figures on which to
base a statement about the number af-
Lected, the estimates by those familiar
with the situation are that it will be
small
1t is. however. a matter for great
satisfaction to the Commissioners and
10 the people generally that We have a
law controlling child labor II has not
been pleasant to have the District desfg-
mated as one of the few places which
had no child labor law al all As a mat
ter OF fact, the accusation has been en-
urely true except for the compulsory
education law, which treated the sub
1ect for only those hours which are
known as school hours