Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-21
CHILD LABOR LAWS ABROAD
Most Of the Nations Working to Solve
Problem.
AUSTRIA AND GERMANY LEAD
Law of the I<aiser's Empire Contcm-
plates Supervision of Home EN-
pIOyments ~ We'll ar out
side Work.


Germany, Italy and switzerland--is the
subject Of an article printed in bulletin
I SO Of the Bureau Of Labor OF the Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor. All OF
these nations have recognized the ex-
istence of a child-labor problem and
have attempted to solve II by means OF
legislation restricting the gainful em-
ployment OF children and by providing
corps of officials whose special task
it is to secure compliance with the terms
Of the law
This article, the results Of study by
Dr. c. w. A. Veditz, discusses as well
the relation Of the school and labor laws,
the organization and actual work of the
labor inspectors, and the present extent
and nature OF child labor in these coun-
tries
Austrian legislation fixes the regular
age Of factory employment for children
at IA years, but children of - and 10
may be employed If such employment
does not interfere with school, is not
detrimental 10 health, and does not exc
coed eight hours a day. Below - years
no regular industrial employment is per-
mitted In a considerable list Of occu-
pations regarded as dangerous or injur-
ious no employment under "A Is per-
mitted, and in many the employment Of
children Of "a and 10 is much restricted.
The hours Of labor for children under
16 must not exceed eleven, though for A
few industries twelve hours are per-
mitted. Night work between the hours
Of and is prohibited for all children
under s, except that in industries with
special needs night work is permitted
for children OF IA and 10.
Many Austrian Children Work Hard.
recent Austrian official investigation
into the extent and nature of gainful
employment among school children UNI
der IA years OF age indicates that the
proportion of these children regularly
at work varies from 90 to nearly 60 per
cent. A large proportion of the working
pupils are employed in agriculture and
domestic service, oftentimes at kinds OF
work which require more strength than
children under IA may reasonably be sup
posed to possess. Orphaned children and
inegitimate children furnish a relatively
larger quota OF child laborers than the
ether pupils.
In Belgium the law regulating child labor
permits industrial employment at Y years,
although between u and IS the conditions
Of work are much restricted. For an eN-
tended list Of occupations regarded as
dangerous or injurious, employment and
even presence in the factory Is entirely
prohibited. For children under Is the hours
OF work per day must not exceed six, For
children under 16 the hours i'm many indus
tries are limited 10 ten. Night work be-
tween the hours Of 9 and Is prohibited
for males under 16 and all females under
81 yearD, in list including many Industries.
In France the age at which industrial
employment may legally begin is Ii, but II
the school requirements are satisfied and
a physician's certificate Of physical fit
ness can be -secured{ employment may be-
gin at 70. In occupations regarded as dan
gerous injurious or unhealthful employ
ment under IS years is prohibited, or even
presence in certain classes of factories.
The hours Of labor are limited to ten per
day Night work between the hours OF
o and is prohibited for all children
under rs
German Law Reaches Into Homes,
The German law permits industrial en-
ployment to begin at IA years, although
work not exceeding six hours per day may
begin at 10 II the required school attend
ance has been completed. For occupations
considered as dangerous or injurious, the
employment OF children is prohibited or is
permitted under special regulations. For
are limited to 10, and night work Is pro-
hibited between the hours of $50 and $50
In many respects the most radical de-
parture in child-labOr legislation on the
continent is found in the German law Of
1903 which attempts to regulate the EN-
ployment of children I'm their own homes
and under the direction Of their parents
This law owes its enactment largely to
the systematic investigation inaugurated
by a national Organization Of schoOl-teaeh-
ers. who became convinced that the fac
tory laws had In many instances driven
the child laborers out of the factories into
home industries and into nonindustrial
pursuits not reached by previous legisla-
ton. The new law is not proving easy of
enforcement, and some time will be re-
quired to draw conclusions in regard to
its actual effects.
italy aud switzerland.
In Italy the law fixes the age at which
industrial work may be begun at - years
though for all workers under IS years GER
tain restrictions are imposed including the
requirement OF physicians certificate OF
physical fitness, and in dangerous and In
furious occupations employment Is entirely
prohibited The hours Of labor are limited
to eleven per day between the ages Of 12
and 49, Night work between the hours OF
and 6 Tor between and from April TO
september) is prohibited for persons under
is years and for all females
In Switzerland the law prohibits the fac
tory employment Of children under "A years,
but for dangerous or injurious occupations,
which include an extended list, employment
may not begin under 16 years The maxi
mum hours o. labor per day under 16
years are eleven. For all employees under
IS years night work between the hours OF
and 6 COr between 8 and during June
July and Augusta Is entirely prohibited
A striking feature Of the study I'm Swift
zerland relates 10 the employment Of school
children outside Of school hours. recent
Investigation furnished much detailed in
formation showing the employment Of very
large numbers OF children working long
hours and at night under such conditions.
Inspection n Everywhere.
This complaint is frequent in the reports
Of the labor inspectors Of all the countries
that the staff Of inspectors is insufficient
TO carry out the laws with any degree Of
severity and that the increase i'm the mum
her of inspectors has not kept pace with
the increase i'm the number Of establish
ments subject 10 inspection. An average
NJ only One-fOurth the children under nc