The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-29
CHILDREN BARRED
FROM STAGE
Will No Longer Be Allowed to
Engage in Dangerous
Acts.
LABOR COMMISSIONER ACTS
Virginia Theatres and Cireuscs
to Be Closed to Such
Performances.

Carrying out the State laws, Labor,
Commissioners JameB q. Donarty In
tends to put a stop to the participation
by children in performances in theatres,
circrses and carnivals which arc re-
garded as dangerous to life and limb.
Acrobhtlc feats. trhpe2e acts bicycle
riding, contortion and other avocations
which may be classed as dangerous
Will be tabooed for persons under four.
teen years of age.
It has come 10 Commissioner Doher-
tvs attention that acts are given in
Richmond and in vaudeville houses
elsewhere in which children arc used
as acrobats. Sometimes families. In.
GLIDING small children, give perform
ances In which tho little ones take
part to an extent which Is regarded az
perilous These will be stopped.
Tho commissioner will notify every
proprietor OF playhouses in the State
Of the terms OF the law, telling them
to inform the booking houses that
children will not be allowed to take
part in performances classed as dam
gerous. Inspectors Of the department
VIII be on the lookout constantly to
see that the law is not violated. and
after this first warning any guilty per.
son Will be prosecuted.
Get After Circnses.
Circusea, It Is said. are especially
prone to have acts OF tho kind which
will hereafter be under tho ban These
will be looked after
Penalties will apply both to the
parent or guardian and to the manag-
err OF the theatre or circus. Persons
convicted are to be deemed guilty OF
a misdemeanor. and shall be punished
by fine not exceeding 5000, or by
imprisonment in jail not exceeding
twelve months. or both.
It is not the intention OF the COM
missioner. however. to prevent sing
ing and dancing acts by children.
these not being regarded as dangerous
to life or limb in themselves. While
tho law also prohibits tho employ.
ment OF children In any avocation In
jurious TO health or morals, Mr.. Doher-
~ does not expect to rule arbitrarily
that the stage is necessarily so IN
furious. He will confino his inspec-
ton and prosecution to those casos
which he can clearly prove and where
1t is evident that danger exists to life
and limb.
Governing statute.
The section OF the law under which
Commissioner Doherty proposes to act.
reads as follows:
ut shall be unlawful for any person
having the care. custody or control OF
any child under the age OF fourteen
years TO sell. apprentice. give away. let
or hire out OR otherwise dispose OF such
child to any person in or for the voca-
ton or occupation, service or purpose
of rope or wire walking, begging Or
peddling, or as a gymnast, contortion-
list. rider or acrobat in any place what
soevcr, or for any obscene, indecent or
immoral purpose. exhibition or practice
whatsoever. or for or in any business.
exhibition or vocation injurious to the
health or morals or dangerous to the
life CIR limb of such child. or cause.
procure. encourage or permit any such
child to engage therein.
1T shall also be unlawful for any
person to take, receive. hire. employ
use. exhibit or have in custody anS
child under the age aforesaid for any
of the purposes prohibited in tho sec.
ond section OF this act