Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-11

all the time close to the hunger line, and
the question whether IN expected baby
will turn out to be a boy or a girl Ia one
OF no little anxiety. A boy is IN asset,
and his coming to the world Is a proper
occasion for much m~errymaking. As soon
as he reaches 10 years of age, he is hired
out to a rowing bootblack boss, or to a
peddler. The youngsters farmed out in
this fashion are frightfuily overworked.
and, as a rule, most brutally treated.
America, as those of them who are
fetched across the water find II, is vastly
better than Greece or Turkey.
Nine out Of ten Of these little slaves are
brought hither in violation of the alien
contract labor laws. Formerly large num-
bers Of them were turned back by the i'm
migration authorities. But the bosses
are shrewd and rave learned how to evade
the regulations. Furthermore. they en-
ploy clever attorneys to sdvise them in
such matters. The boys, before they leave
their native land. are carefully instructed
by letter as to what they must say in
response to questions on arrival, in order
that they may not be sent back-the thing
Of which, naturally. they have the greatest
dread.
Securing Recruits.
The bosses" obtain fresh supplies Of
boys sometimes by communicating with
relatives Of the youngsters already in their
employ If they max the necessary ar
engagements by writing to relatives Of their
own In Greece furnishing money and In
structions for the shipment of the little
fellows. Another method they adopt is to
advertise In the newspapers of the Greek
provinces, offering light work" and ex-
ceptional wage
Once in a while the boss himself makes
a trip to his native province, where during
a short stay he goes through certain in
expensive formalities by which he be-
comes godfather TO a large number OF
children in many families. Thus he &C.
quires a footing Of pseudo-relationship,
which enables him later on to have the
first bid in securing the services Of the
boys. 1t is a very ingenious scheme and
has the additional advantage Of giving him
a sort OF guardianship right over the
youngsters after their arrival In this coun-
try-a right which they recognize, at all
events, and which augments the surety OF
his grip upon them.
Meanwhile the business Of Importing
Greek children OF both sexes and Of tender
age for employment in the mills OF New
England has assumed very considerable
proportions. These girls and boys, most
Of them brought into the country with the
help OF false affldavits in regard to re,
lationships-they are usually alleged e
be the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters
nephews or nieces of the men who brine
them over and live upon their labor-are
greatly In demand in the cotton mills
where they are able TO earn almost as
much as adults, because their hands are
small and they soon become quick and
dexterous In connecting broken threads In
the weaving room. This is a task that car
hardly be performed by grown persons.
Crowd I'm Cotton MnIa.
Anybody who stands In front OF the city
hall In Lowell. Mass. at s o'clock on
week day evening and who takes the op
portunity thus afforded to look over tn,
employees OF the Gotten mills as they pas
by cannot help noticing a great many girl
and boys who are obviously under u year.
OF age. Most OF these very young chi.
dren ars Greeks and Macedonians. They
are laborinE IN the mills in defiance OF IN,
child labor laws, thanks to fraudulent ar.
fidavits In regard to their age. In bach.
ing this kline OF fraud steamship compa.
niles have been extremely active, while .
well known person has made a regular bus.
mess OF furnishing false t~ranslations OF
birth certificates at IS or SO each, with
the same end IN view.
With such excellent wage obtainsblS Il