The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-11-28
Chicago Statistics Show that Nh
jority Of Tramps are Worn
Out Men. "
BURDENING THE YOUNG II
WITH PREMATURE LABOR
Is Inconsistent With the Ideals az
Our American Civili-
cation. :~-i 5.

uaDOr up on the young we deprive the
republic Of the citizenship to which, it
Is entitled. It does not comport with
American civilization to behold with.
out indignant pity the spectacle Of the
sufferings Of little children. We mean
the sufferings caused by forced and
extension of the hours OF
wakefulness, the sufferings caused by
deprivation Of time and opportunity
for play, the suffering caused by the
physical. mental and moral deteriora-
tion which is the well nigh inevitable
consequence of premature toll.
Observations in Chicago.
The Labor Record says that in CHI
cago there is municipal lodging
house largel yhlled with tramps.. IN
addition to housing them, an intelli-
gent effort is made to get them into
regular industry. A physician In at
tendance makes careful examination
of each man who comes to the lodging
house, and last winter he tried to see
what connection could be genuinely
established between premature labor
and worn-out men. It is surprising to
find how many Of them are tired to
death Of monotonous labor and begun
IL~E
as a business mans goes to the woods
because he is worn out with the stress
of business life.
What Causes Tramps.
This inordinate desire to get away
from work seems to be connected with
the fact that the men have started to
work very early, before they had the
physique to stand up to it, or the
mental vigor with which to overcome
It's difficulties, or the moral stamina
which makes man stick to his work
whether he likes it or not. But we
cannot demand any Of these things
from a. growing boy. They are all
traits Of the adult. A. boy is naturally
restless, his determination easily
breaks down., and he runs away. At
least this seems to be- TRUE of many .nf
theSs men, who come to- the lodging
house. y ssssSssi ssSssi
New England Incident. s.
I recall a man who had begun to
work in textile mill quite below the
present legal age in New England,
and who had worked hard for sixteen
years, says Jane Adams in Charities,
He told his tale with all simplicity
and as he made a motion with his
hand he said: II done that for six
teen years." I give the words as ho
gave them. AT last was sick in bed
for two or three days with fever and
when I crawled out, made up my
mind that would rather go to hell
than go back to that mill" Whether
he considered Chicago an equivalent
for that do not know, but he cer-
tainly tramped to Chicago and had
been tramping for four years. Ha
does not steal He works in the sum-
mer and wanders about rho rest of tho
year, getting something to do when
he can; but the suggestion Of q fac
tor ythrows him into q panic ana
quickly causes him 10 disappear from
the lodging house. Tue physician has
made q diagnosis Of general debility
The man 10 not nt for steady work.
He has been whipped In tho battle q
life, and is spent prematurely bea
cause he began prematurely.
What lt All Means.
What does this mean? Tha& tho
young cannot stand up to the grind %
factory life: that they break down
under II, and that we have no right a.
increase tho list of paupers-of those
who must be cared for by the muni-
cipal and b ystate agencies because
when they are still immature and un~.
developed they are subjected to e te.
nendous pressure.