The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-22
LABOR OF CHILDREN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE s6EtsTs IN
 CHICAGO. W
NIT. Mcr<eiuny Delfvers . assThoughtfal Address on the Coalitions Ia
 the states of the
 S0ufk.

ChiacEo. Jan. 21.--Keep the child out of the factory, This was the con- sensus of sentiment at the opening to- day of the fifth annual national child
 labor conference.
 The plight of the poor child who fs
 taken from school to become the sup
 port or parents. the unnatural and un-
 neaithful surroundings of a child in
 the factories of the big cities and il
 the cotton mills of the South. were all described by social workers of national repute as an argument for more leg. islative protection for children.
 The hindrances to child labor reform were pointed out by General Secretary Owen R. Loyejoy of New York. These were the influx of the foreign races, which brings customs entirely alien to the Ideals of. this country. and. sec- ondlys the lack of .harpiony between the different State Negotiations on this subject.
 Secretary Lovejoy declared that 1t was not alone In enclosed places that children were overworked. In the berry fields of New Jersey, in the veg etabie gardens of Delawafe and Mary igan. Nebraska and Colorado, and in the. tobacco fields of Connecticut. Ken- lucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania, He declared children were employed as much as twelve hours a day.
 "In the fruit canning sections of New York State, eighteen months ago. said Mir. Lovejoy, "a thorough inves- tigation of child labor vas made which revealed such abuses that in deferenee to the canheries those directing the investigation consented to suppress the publication If the report lest 1t should ruin the industry"
 One aim Of the session Is to induce Congress to create child labor bureau which shall remedy evils now existing.
 Let America lead the world in pro- tecting the tender period of human life from the hardships of wage earning. was the slogan of the opening session.
 Among the speakers who will present their views during the three days of the conference are Isaac Sefigman, of New York. and Allen c. Hali, of Nash vile, prominent jurists and social workers.
 Mr. McKeIway Speaks.
 Evasion and violation of child labor laws were condemned in an address by A. !. McKelway, Secretary for the Southern States.
 When we come to consider the en- forcement Of the law by the authori- ties or its observance by those affected, we may as well begin with the frank admissioE that there Is almost no en- forcement and tn at the violations even of the poorest laws we have, are open and shameless and innumerable." said the speaker. He continued:
 Experience has also taught that a child labor law is a law without a friend for it's enforcement. Employ CTS. parents, and, in some instances, the children themselves. are opposed to it's enforcement. The private clti- zen who attempts to investigate the evil may himself be convicted of tres. pass upon private property. Therefore, the absolute necessity for official fac tory and mine inspectors with power to investigate and with power to prosecute the violators, of the law"
 Mir. McKeiway said that along with the prohibition. of labor for children should so the eompulsion to attend school. He reviewed the child labor laws of the Southern States, declaring that only Kentucky and Louisiana of these States have anything like fair system for issuing certificates of em- bloyment and adequate provisions for factory inspection.
 .The results of Investigations of the Southern oftioe in 1908 were given as to conditions in South Carolina" the speaker 'saidsn children from years old upwards Wererf uRA ek EwoRk. in the nillss 'chiidEeB. or, I O. yearss Of age were numerous in the night shift;a children of 13 and 1s. now beyond the protec- ion of the law, had been working In spite of its alleged protection since they were or T."
 He said that if the mill owners them. selves could realize the effects of the 'hild labor system. most. of them would .ake steps to abolish 1t.
 IL IS no longer an, 9pen Question in his nation that law is needed for the protection of the children. against inc ,xpl0iters of their labor" said the 'peaker. Tt is perhaps a disgrace Q our civilization that there Is such leed. but 1t would be a worse disgrace the facts were not recognized and the