The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1910-11-22

sliattered
INC editor Of the -ASe's next. at
tempts 20 ldy npen the burden Of
ieradicatIne the so-cailed social evil
OF puttIng an end to an gambling ana
dIsorderIy houses. or II immoral COB
dftfons naElst exist asks hy should
not the committee work to have thesn
iconfned TO a certain deslgnated dis
.trict from which young and tender
messengers should be prohibited
certainly . modest concraets Agafn.
I'VE disclairn responsibility. IS child
labor committee. for eradiea ding evils
mat have badIed the foremost experts
IN social reform. We may lay clalHl'
however. to ! serious attempt TO place
fauch restriction about growing youth
4I,at the exieeneies OF their employ
meut shall not force them into im-i
mediate contact with these vices.
The public cannot be led astray BY
the contention that "of the total
amount of duty which messenger
boy must do at night. more tnan 20
per cent is of an advantageous ehar-
acrer'' nor that the service is health
fuI outdoor work. far better plaYsle4A=
~ than indoor confinement. When-
ever the question has been fairly put
the DuDllC- mas not HGGAA
eide whether the purchase OF opium
Tor prostftutes. guiding strangers to
haunts Of vice, catering 10 gan piers
and drunkards. IS of an eldEa Seous
character. II the editor of the 1ele-
graph and Telephone Age has any
Iets tfstfcs to submit controHeEttaS this
evidence. he win obliEe by subnit-
tfnr. the evidence. We admit that It
Is outdoor work and we hold no brief
for the "indoor confnenlenf' at night
of children and growing youth But
We have no evidence that the kind OF
outdoor work required in this service
exposing to all sorts OF weather con-
di1fons, is better physically than even
indoor confinement.
The editor closes with a statement
he regards final He says, men VIII
not work as messengers. Only the
serr,,,lance of men win take the JOB.
This Is certainly not complimentary
to the business. The answer to the |
charge is that since October'1 men
are employed in this city. and SO far
as we know, with satisfaction TO their
employers and to the public. Oh
course the wa ges are small. for II mas
always passed as boys, job
we have thus far discovered no kind
of employment III " 4AAS4i -
unwilling to engage II, the compensa- |
ton is attractive. il was aciSnoWl-
edged by one. OF the representatiSes OF
;, messenger company that their wage
scale represents S25 per month tot
messengers. We know. OF instances mi
which night messengers are paid mott
10 exceed SIS per month and we
cheerruIly submit to the citizens oil
this country that no industry has
right to 1itIlfZe the time and strength
~ our youth without rendering hnan-
.cfaI compensa ton sufficient IN pur-
chase food and shelter. The industry
which falls to do this is party para
sitic. depending upon public charity
emergency hospitals, relief societies
reforInatorles and public poor houses
70 supply the dinerentiaI between
what they pay and a living wage. \
service which cannot pay It's en-
rlovees more than $25 month
should be reconstructed on higher
economic plane, or abandoned aLto-
eether. IT, however, public opinion
Is not sufficiently advanced TO de-
.rnand such a step. we suggest that
crippIes, elderly persons, industrial
,r,isfts and others beyond the proaoa-
bilitv of being tempted to wrong-do-
In. and to whom the meaEer wage
would be welcome alternative 70
their present poverty, might well be
substituted for the growing boys
-, ro+Trnei