Evening journal., 1910-12-09
ANALYzE STATE
CHILD LABOR LAW
Delaware Committee Finds As
Many Good As Bad Points
in Present Act
ASK MORE POWER
FOA FACTORY INSPECTOR

Child LABOR Committee at their meet
ing last evening IN the lecture room
OF the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton, with tne Rev. Hubert w. Wells,
presiding.
Through the executive committee OF
the organization, the committee Will
take steps toshave the Delaware Child I,
Labor Committee incorporated. An
other matter that the organization
will work actively to forward Is the
providing of an adequate salary. prob (
ably 81 200 per annum. for the factory /
inspector, that this official may give
his whole time to the work and may be |
person well fitted for his duties.
Also the committee favored the ap-
pointment of a woman assistant, who |
would also attend 10 the office
work. and they though 5000
would do for her. The committee also
decided to draft bill to be sent 10 the
Delaware senators and representative
at Washington, urging them TO work
for the passing Of the law to establish
a Federal Children's Bureau.
The committee recommended that
the factory inspector be appointed by
tho State Supreme Court, TO remove
his appointment from politics. They
further declared that a contingent
fund Of 5000 would be necessary TO
carry on the work of factory inspec-
tion.
The recent factory fire at Newark
~ j., was discussed and the matter
was referred to the executive commit
tee to draft amendments TO the pres
ent factory law, i'm this regard. and TO
report back to the general committee
Mr.. Wells was elected as commit
tee OF one. to attend the clearance con-
vention. which will be held by the
different welfare organizations OF the
city to confer on the bills that will be
presented to the next legislature by
these organizations.
The executive committee, whose
members. besides the officers, the Rev.
II. W. Wells. chairman; Miss Margaret
II. Shearman, vice-chairman; w. n.
Barnard. Jr., secretary: George B.
Miller, treasurer, comprise the fol-
lowing:
Arthur l.. Bailey, Miss Mary II. A.
Mather, Josiah Marvel, Peter J. Ford.
Herbert n Ward, Miss Elizabeth Bris-
coe and Charles A. Marshall, all of
Wilmington, and George Graef, of
Bridgeville, Del, were empowered TO
take into their confidence as co-work-
ers. any other organization, In draft
ing amendments or new child labor
laws.
The committee. after investigation
found the following good and bad
points in the present child labor law
of Delaware.
Good points of the present law:
1. In agreement with the compui-
sorry education law. no children can
go 20 work until they arc fourteen
years Of age, except in domestic SER
vice and In agriculture.
2. Before becoming wage-earners
children must procure working pa
/ pers,' which certify that they have a
rudimentary education
3. No children are allowed 10 work
at night until they are sixteen.
4. A Factory Inspector is en-
ployed to report on the sanitary condi-
ton Of establishments where children
between IA and 16 years are en-
ployed.
Defects Of the Present Law. oc-
cupations which are physically ana
morally healthful, should be allowed
ne
tions to childron over 10.
2. Street AIDES in the case of chill
dren should be carefully restricted.
3. The present "age certificate" is
worthless, depending only upon the
sworn affidavit Of parent or guardian.
II should be based upon transc -ipts OF
birth certificates, certificates Of bap-
tism or passports. confirmed by school
records, as is required I'm nineteen
other states.
4. Dangerous occupations should
be p ohibited, as in seventeen other
states.
8. Boys under 16 and girls under
Is should not be allowed to work more
than eight hours In a way. Such laws
have been passed in eight other
states.
6. Children should not be allowed
to work and at the same time attend
night school as a substitute for the re-
quired schooling.
Z. Working pape-s" should be IS
sued by local boards Of health in CO.
operation with the local boards OF
education and should include a certif-
cate OF good health.
s. Should exemptions be allowed in
the case of special interests?
Statistics prepared by the child
labor committee, say that according
TO the United States census of 1900,
there we're 1879 children between
the ages Of ten and fifteen years IN
Delaware of whom 1853, OF II per
cent. were wage earners.
OF the boys 10 to Is years of age
24.4 PEE cent. were working; about
one-half in agricultural pursuits. the
other half in all other occupations
or the foreign-born boys 10 to 1E
years, so per cent. we're working.
Nearly one-third Of the total chill.
d,en working were 10 to Is years o
age; that is, under the legal age limit
1881, or IL per cent. of the entire
population of the state, 10 years o
age and upwards, we're unable 70 reas
and write, divided almost equally be
tween male and female, white and col
ored.
With the exception of Nevada, Della
ware is the only state outside tn
! South, which has above Sc per cen,
, of its population illiterate. llliterac
, In Delaware, compared with othe
, states: Delaware, II per cent; Penn
, sylvania 6.1 per cent; Vermont, 5.
: per cent; Nebraska, 2.3 per cent.
| Kansas, 30 pc cent; Iowa, 2.3 pc
z cent
4 OF the foreign-born whites in Dela