The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-22
F. c. ROBERTS OF WASHINGTON cRlTlclzEs DR. STILES
 ABOUT CHILD LABOR.
Declares That if the South Has to Work Children in the Mills It
 Is Too High Price for
 Southern Manufacture.

NhsliliStoHs C- N,i OCt- 1i.-7 Wliic criticizing Dr, c. A. Stiles, of tho United States Public Health and Ma rine Hospital Service, for defending before the Southern Textile Associa- ton at Raleigh, N C., the employment of children in the cotton mills of the south, F c. Roberts, formerly of Geor- gia. chairman of labor committee of the Central Labor Union of this city. today stirred up strong indignation among delegates to the United Tex tile Workers of America. assembled in convention in this city.
 MT Roberts declared his surprise that a public officer paid from the public revenue. should appear before the convention of employers of laDor and undertake to defend the system of child labor in the southern states.
 MT. Roberts advocated action by the convention in opposition to any furth- CT attempt to extend and aud to per petuate the system. of child labor in southern cotton mills
 ,'I love the southland. said MT. Roberts and 1 would do almost any, thfng in my power to have the cotton of the south manufactured in south ern states But there are prices I would not pay for such a commercial victory. l would not give our little children as the price of success"
 MT. Roberts spoke in favor of the more general adoption of the union label on all manufactured goods and declared it was unreasonable for union men and women to ask their employ CTS to patronize only union labor when they themselves refused to buy only goods marked with the union label and that way patronized only union labor.
 By refusing to purchase only goods that bear our label" he declared, you are putting money into the hands of men who are attempting to place Gompers, Morrison and Mitchell in jail'
 Mr Roberts favored the breaking away from all political parties in or der to obtain the ends fought for by labor unionists What discipline should be meted out to seeding unions was the subject of animated debate among the delegates.
 Thomas Tracy, secretary of the union label department, American Federation of Labor. defended Dr. Stiles by calling attention to an Au- gust magazine article in which Dr. Stiles represented the employment of 100000 children in southern cotton mills.
 The association approved a recom- mendation tayoring an eight-hour work day for all slk workers in tue United States.
 The employment of child labor in southern states was again the sub- iect of an acrid discussion, when John L. Rodier. of this city, warned delegates from the New England states thst if they looked with indif- ference upon the policy of working children in southern cotton mills they would soon face a movement for re- peal of child labor laws in Massachu- setts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. as the New England industry would find 1t Impossible to compete against such cheap labor.
 q find" said Mir Rodier. that men who advocate putting children in the cotton mills of the south do not put their own children there, bat send them to school'
 Mir. Rodier told of his experience in Atlanta, Ga. duling campaign there against the liquor tranic.
 Ministers cf the eesnel and women got down on thar knees" he saId. and prayed to save big strong men
 tContinued on Page Four.)