The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-14
Child LABOR
LAWS IN ENGLAND
FEDERAL BUREAU MAKES A RE-
PORT ON CONDITIONS.
Conditions No Worse There Than
Here-Beneficia Effect Of Fac
tory Laws Are Plain.

WASHINGTON, May 14.-Many of
the conditions surrounding woman and
child workers in Great Britain are
very bad, and seem to casual obser-
walton to be worse than those of silni-
lar workers in most part of America. |
But the darkest spots in the Quo
country are probably no darker than
some which may be found in America. |
This is the opinion of DR.. Victor S. |
Clark, expressed in an article on "Ws
man and child wage-earners in Grea; |
Britain" published in Bulletin No !
so, of the bureau of labor, department
of commerce and labor. The article
is a study of the factory laws of
Great Britain relating to the employ
ment of women and children, and
discussion of their effect upon the
social and economic condition of
these classes of workers. A child
may begin working in a factory or
above ground at a mine when twelve
years of age, but must attend school
regularly half time; at thirteen years
of age he may begin working full time
under certain restrictions. From four
teen to seventeen years of age, inclu-
sive, he is young person in the eyes
of the law. In textile factories young
persons may work from 6 or a. m. TO
6 or p. m, but not more than 5512
hours weekly, and in other factories
either the same hours or from a. N.
to p. m, but not more than sixty
hours a week. Women are in most
cases subject to the same regulations
as young persons, but in certain in
dustries they may work a limited
amount of overtime. For children and
young persons overtime hardly exists
l. in Great Britain.
L The number of children working
" half time in Great Britain has de-
creased materially in recent years,
and this is said to have been due
mainly to restrictive legislation. EN-
ployers no longer consider youthful
labor the most profitable; the senti
ment of parents is changing, ano
working people are better able to gel
along without the wages of their chill
a. dren. The law places general re-
a. strictions upon the employment OF
q. children outside of school and give:
authority to local governing bodies t
n. increase these restrictions. The gen
m eral experience is that licensing no
n. only lessons the number of children
* trading on the street, but diminishe
from year to year the number eyel
of licensed children and helps TO pr
n. vent juvenile crime. 1t is now sough
n. to establish the principle Of the mir
imum wage for home workers b.
n. means of wage boards similar to thos
n. adopted by most OF the Austria
re states.
Regarding their economic effect
the factory laws have been a poten
cause in shortening and in maxim
and children, without interrupting tn
progressive improvement in wage:
There has been a decrease in tn
proportion of the female populatio
working in industrial occupations IN
a concentration in larger manufactu
ing establishments of much female !
Dor until recently distributed anon
the homes. there has also been a d
. crease in the employment OF chill
- rem.
The health and morals Of Operative
have been helped by improved ia
tory accommodations, better SAINT
ton, separation OF the sexes duril
labor. and the guarding of dangero
machinery and processes. Educate
al requirements for children ha
helped to enforce compulsory educ
ton and the necessity for certi
Gates of fitness for employment h
made parents more solicitous for
health of their children.
The value of a study of British G.
ditions, according to DR.. Clark, !
in the more vivid appreciation that
gives of the possible evil tendenc
of even regulated industrialism VI
workers. Broader and more gener
remedies must be discovered for tn
evils before it is too late. Such
edies are being experimental witt
u England
There must be Improvement OF 4
NLE LinL,c HhpIlDI