The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-01-23
Save the Souls and
Bodies of the Children.

AS before noted in The Journal, to-
morrow will be Child Labor Day. and
certainly should be generally and en-
phatically observed. 1t is hoped that
the ministers of Pensacola will draw
to the attention of their congregations
the great crime being committed
against children of tender years in
depriving them of sufficient hours for
recreation and school attendance
through their confinement at Occupa-
tions whose drudgery and monOtony
serve to dwarf and to- deform both
soul and body.
And it may further be added that
such employment is a crime of equal
magnitude against the state whose
future welfare will depend upon the
character of the growing generations
upon whom will devolve the RESPONSE
bility of protecting it's interests and
advancing its development.
This is the last day of a three-day
session of the National Child Labor
Committee in Chicago. There has
been full and significant discussion of
the weighty problem, which, no doubt,
will bring forth good fruit The
Journal was struck by the force of a
paragraph i'm the address delivered
by a. J. McElway. secretary for
the Southern states, before the
meeting. Mr.. McElway declared:
Experience has taught that
child labor law is "a law without a
friend for its enforcement, Employ
ers, parents and, in some instances,
the children themselves are opposed
to its enforcement. The private cit1-
zen who attempts to investigate the
evil may himself be convicted of tres
pass upon private property. There
fore, the absolute necessity for Off
cial factory and mine inspectors with
power to investigate and power to
prosecute the violators of the law"
Children, in their ignorance, are no
doubt in most cases opposed to any
interference with their right to work
and make money, a portion of which,
even if it be a small portion, they are
usually permitted to retain and ex-
pend for their personal qualification.
This they may prefer to being sent to
school: for we regret to say the love
of the almighty dollar" has been i'm
pressed upon the child mind by the
leagerness of their elders in pursuing
it. What else can be expected from
children whose likes and dislikes are
nodded by observation and who wit
ness a continual alteration before the
altar of the golden calf even by those
who are held up to them as the very
salt of the earth?
But for the parents. or guardians
and the employers there is no excuse
The latter especially are supposed to
| be people of education, who must
lrealize the horrid wrong they are
lperpetrating against humanity and
the state. when they permit their
avarice to harden their hearts and
| debase them to the lowest depths OF
IseIfshness. 1t is against these par
ents and employers that the voice OF
priest. philanthropist and politician
should be raised. There should be
mo cessation of the crusade Unt.i
| every state shall have passed salts
| factory laws for the preservation OF
1.-THE children And no state should
/ be without proper officers with full
authority to investigate and to bring
all transgTessOrs against the laws tC
/ a severe and certain punishment
Teddy's silence is suspicious. Is