The Detroit times., 1908-08-05
MOULD PAY POOR
] CHILDREN WAGES
! TO co To SCHOOL
LABOR COMMISSIONER JoHNsoN
OF KANSAS, ADVOCATES RADI.
CAL ipEA-M. J. M'LEoD MAKES
AN INTERESTING ADDRESS.

That children Of poor parents should
be paid wages by the state for going
20 school is the startling suggestion
made by Commissioner w. l.. A. John
son. OF Kansas, IN addressing the
meeting OF labor commissioners in the
Hotel Cadillac, Tuesday morning.
"A Il would amend Our school laws.
said Mr.. Johnson" so that the chill
dren OF parents found. upon investi-
cation. unable TO spare their services
and give them the proper school priv
fleges To which they are inherently
entitled, should receive from the state
specific per diem wage OF from Az
4 TO SO cents In cash for each days al
tendance at school, between the ages
OF 10 and Ia years, in order that they
might have the opportunity OF secur-
ing an education, thus placing them
upon an equal basis with others that
are more fortunately situated, to the
end that they could be prepared 70
take up the battle OF life without be-
Ing handicapped with an Ignorant and
vicious mind that poverty SO often
entails or a physically stunted body
for which premature child labor Is SO
often responsible. This suggestion Is
not new, but is shared in by many In
vestigators OF this subject. Though II
may seem visionary and fanciful.
feel sure that with proper regulation
Il could be put into practical opera
ton with great advantage TO our CIV
ilization and with a much less cost
than now obtains In caring for that
part of our delinquent and defective
class that is fostered by the evils OF
child labor. either In charity or the
criminal courts OF our country. SO
long as society IN its capacity or the
state must foot the cost In the END,
II would seem humane and logical 10
expend a little money on the theory
that IAN ounce OF prevention is better
than pound OF cure"
Says Figures Are Indefinite.
Carl e. Parry. very youthful pro-
lessor OF economics from the Unlver-
uity Of Michigan, started things going
in ver- lively manner by an al
dress. He told the compilers or Ia
Dor statistics that the figures turned
out now are indefinite and incomplete.
This was the gist OF his remarks. al
though he developed his theme into an
address of half an hour. Several or
the speakers who followed took occa'
sion to take an opposite view OF mat
tiers.
President Charles p. Neill. federal
commissioner OF labor. went into de-
tails in showing how hard 1t Is to give
actual information as TO wages ana
conditions in various trades He In.
stanced the railroad men who are
paid as to hours and mileage OF run
4 md showed that II Is impossible to
make tabulations that Will picture
real conditions.
Neill would only advocate that the
greatest care be taken In compiling
statistics and recommended that,
where conditions make IL unlikely that
statistics can give all the Information
needed, that note be made as to just
how reliable such figures are.
Commissioner Mcleod's Report.
Malcolm ]. Mcleod. state labor
commissioner of Michigan. read re-
mort as to industrial conditions here
that contains many indications OF the
growing Industrial activity of the
state. Referring to the effects OF the
money panic OF last fall, Mcleod
states that while IT caused temper
ary falling of, there was no accom-
panying general decrease in wages,
REPORTS now coming in from the field
men OF the department show that
conditions are improving 10 normal
Ill over the state.
The state free employment bureau
has found positions for $4,000 persons
from the Detroit office alone, while
che branches in Saginaw, Grand Rap
Ids. Kalamazoo and Jackson are also
doing good work.
During 1907 the factories Of the
otate increased to 1886, an increase
81 666; average daily wages paid to
ALL Glasses Of labor from foreman to
fncfory girls increased from 3 10 13
cents per day. The number OF hours
worked per day averaged 80. In Bah
ntoras inspected the average wage OF
male employees was $2.26 per day and
~ females $1.25. The average wages
IL 832 hotels was but 80 cents per
Hav. There were 374 tenement
house shops. In which 1,434 employees
roceived an average OF $l.24 per day.
The number OF tenement shops has
decreased and wages increased.
In the states "a coal mines, 2,SSl
Dersons were employed at an average
ware of 1924 day, the coal costing
o16l per ton to mine.
\ women factory inspectors have
done much to alleviate conditions for
10000 workers OF their sex. Special
MINISTRIES canvassed were the beet
sugar, portland cement, furniture.
nhcSps. refrigerators and corsets
PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO