The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-07-29
BY OWEN r. LOVEJOY.

Secretary national child labor committee.
A years work in dealing with chill
dren who work for a livelihood has
just been rounded out by the spring
meeting Of the trustees of the national
child labor committee.
1t has been u year Of Legislative
changes, with Pennsylvania, as usual,
one of the centers Of combat Year
after year, against Indifference of the
citizens, hostility of the factory in
spection department and opposition OF
powerful interests, the friends of the
children have sought TO secure laws to
exclude them from mines and fac
tories.
For several years these efforts have
met with failure, or when laws have
fectiYe in certain technical features
as to meet their death at the hands OF
the courts. This year the general
child labor law and the mining law
We're radically changed, the most i'm
portant gain being a provision requir
seeking employment and the issuance
of certificates by the school authori-
ties.
A vigorous effort was made to elm
mate night work among children, but
this was again defeated through the
influence Of the glass manufacturers
who defeated bills to the same effect
In Indiana, West Virginia and New
Jersey.
In New York it was hoped that the
revelations made two years ago Of CON
ditions in many canning factories and
sheds would result in legislation pro
tecting little children from such eX-
ploitation. 1t was found impossible,
however, to combat successfully the
powerful influence Of the Gamers, and
for another year children of very ten
der years will continue under the in
sanitary and excessively exacting con
ditions prevailing in many of these es-
adjustments.
But In New York two important
laws were enacted, one incorporate
a specified list Of dangerous occupa-
lions forbidden to children under six
teen years of age, the other strength
ening the hands Of the commissioner
of labor In prosecuting violators of the
mercantile employers law
To the list Of states forbidding EN-
ployment at night Of children under
sixteen years of age the new laws add
DELAY ware, Kansas, North Dakota and
Oklahoma.
Michigan extends protection against
night work to girls under eighteen
years of age and limits the hours of
men and for males under eighteen, re-
quires more rigid proof of age of chill
dren seeking employment and ability
to read and write English.
Experience is teaching that insisting
on efficient factory inspection and
enforceable is quite as important as
securing higher age limits and strictet
limitation of hours. 1t was upon the
effort to correct fatal defects as to
proof of age in the Pennsylvania law
that general interest centered. The
ence has shown the impossibility of
enforcing the law In default of age
proof, and the new law has set up the
standard provisions for proof Of age.
In South Carolina the law, which
has been practically a dead letter
80 nF
through an amendment providing for
the employment of two factory In
spectors. Already the commissioner
Of agriculture and industries has Is
sued a series Of blank forms for the
use Of these inspectors and announces
his determination to see that the law
Is enforced. He interprets the law as
authorizing his inspectors to report all
children under the legal age found in
factories during working hours as fur
nIshing prima facie evidence Of Illegal
employment.
A number OF changes have been
made in the regulation Of the hours Of
employment Besides those already
mentioned, Kansas, Oklahoma and
North Dakota limit them TO an eight
hour day and forty eight hour week.
Maine to a ten hour day and fifty
four hour week for boys under six
teen and girls under eighteen and
Rhode Island to a nfty-six hour week
for minors under sixteen years and all
women.
The new laws In North Dakota and
Oklahoma are among the most com
plete yet enacted.
The bill which Governor Haskell We
toed year ago In Oklahoma was pass
ed again by large maJorities and re
ceived his approval. Important changes
have been made also in Minnesota, and
bills are pending in Connecticut, Flori-
da, Illinois and Wisconsin.
The most dlsheartening defeat was
In North Carolina, where an agree