Evening journal., 1908-03-04
CHILD LABOR IS
CONSIDERED
By Speakers at the COnven-
ton Of the Consumers
League
THE OFFICERS ARE ELECTED

The rule Of the survival Of the fittest
in modern industrial labor. and the
need of it's elimination FOR more
humane standard, the abolishment Of
child labor an dthe splendid work Of
the National Consumers League TO
that end were the fruitful subjects OF
speakers at the public meeting Of the
Consumers League in the New
Century Club last night. The meeting
followed the ninth annual convention
Of the National Consumers League.
which was held in the clubhouse in the
afternoon. The speakers were Henry
r. Mussey. of the University Of Penn
8ylvania: Mrs. Frederick Nathan,
president Of the New York City Con-
sumers' League; Scott Nearing, Of the
University Of Pennsylvania; Mrs. Flor
ence eI1lley. secretary of the National
Consumers League.
DR.. George w. Twitmyer. superinten-
dent Of schools and Miss Emily p. Bis
sell. president Of the Delaware branch,
presided
Perhaps the most interesting phase Of
the meeting was an attack on the Del
aware child labor law by Mr.. Nearing
absket manufacturers from the re-
quirement that children should not be
I employed who are less than IA years
old for longer than nine hours a day OF
| 54 hours a week. 'rhis law Is good and
IL must be enforced" Mr.. Nearing said
"But you have provision in this law
excepting Gamers of fruit. vegetables
| and other provisions and manufactur-
ers of fruit and berry baskets. Why.
/ Is it because a child IN a canning fac
tory or a berry basket factory is better
| than the child who works in a SILK
/ mill or a glass factory? Why is a
/ child in a cannery better OF than one
who knits stockings here in Whining
/ ton? If the law is good for one, why
not for all. A law that is not worth
while for all IS not worth
while for one. This law needs your
direct attention at the next session OF
your Legislature.
DR.. TXtmyer began his address by
saving tfIat since 1905 there had been
pulsory education law until December
OF 1907.
He explained the provisions in the
]
Gamers and others by the preponder-
ahce of the rural population and It's
control Of the Legislature as we'll a.
the fact that canning and berry season
came during the summer vacation Of
children and so did not materially
interfere with their school attendance
He thought the penalty for violation
Of the child labor law was entirely toe
small and spoke of the small attend
lance at night schools as indicating
that the want Of an industrial con.
science the part Of manufacturers ac'
tually initiated against the law"
Mrs. Kelley treated of the struggle
of the Consumers League TO have th'
Federal. Government take up measures
relating TO the child and women's labor
National League Officers.
At the annual meeting of the Ma
tional League in the afternoon the fol
lowing officers were elected: President
John Graham Brooks. of Cambridge
Mass: first vice-president, Mrs. Fred
lerick Nathan. of New York; second
lvice- president, Mrs. II. W Wilmarth
lof Chicago; third vice-president, Mrs
lMillie r. Trumbull, of Portland. Ore
lgon: treasurer, G. H. Kinnicutt. of New
York: secretary, Mrs. Florence Kelley
of New York.
The annual meeting Of the Delawar'
Branc helected the following officers
President, Miss Emily p. Bissell; frs
vice president, Mrs. i. c. Vandegrift
second vice president, Miss Mary II. A
Mather; executive secretary, Miss Mar
garet Sherman; recording secretary
Miss Eliza l. Jackson; treasurer, Mis-
Jennie M. Weaver. The advisory com
mittee inclues the Rev. Hubert W
Wells, Hiram W. Kellogg. Genera
Charles Bird, p. S. DUPONT, Willard
Salisbury, 4 p. Nields. William Law
ton, the Rev. John j. Dougherty, W. $
Meredith and DIR. Albert Robin. TIT
honorary vice-presidents are Miss Luc.
Bancroft, Mrs. Charles R. Miller, Mis-
Sarah Pyle, Miss Jane Lea, Mrs I
c. dupont, Mrs F. l.. Gilpin.