The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-13
CHILD LABOR LAWS
MUST Be BETTERED
Textile Conference at Memphis
Is Enthusiastic
WOMEN ARE LEADERS
Mrs. Florence Kelly, Miss jean Gordon
and Miss Kate Barnard Make Adj
dresses on Subject of Conserva-
fion of Child Life
WOMEN ARE LEADERS

chlld nIe was the keynote sounded to-
day at the first session of the Southern
IeNtile conference, and along with it re-
sounded the slogan Compulsory Educa-
tior,' which has been heralded through
out the country since the first conference
was held in Nashville three years ago.
The conference today was dominated by
three women, well known leaders for i'm
proved conditions in the factories and
mills of the south, east and west.
These were: Mrs. Florence Kelley, Sec
rotary of the Consumers league of New
York city; Miss Jean Gordon of New
orleans, state factory inspector of Louis
lana, and Miss Kate Barnard, state COM
addresses We're the chief features of to-
days session.
Mrs. Kelley is known as the Mother
of the child labor law movement and
spoke today not from the standpoint of
the manufacturers, or the labor leader,
but from the viewpoint of the consumer
who pauses for moments consideration
In purchasing the various articles neces-
sary to existence in this life and realizes
in manufacture by child labor. Mrs. KEEL
levy spoke with the conviction of one
who has gained knowledge by long years
of study of, and close association with
actual working conditions. She made an
earnest appeal for Conservation of the
child life" after this keynote of the
conference had first been sounded by the
Rev. w. H. Shelter. D. D., of Memphis.
Keeping Girls Mt Home
Miss Gordon dwelt at length upon child
labor, urging the adoption of such leg
islation as will insure keeping young
girls at home and predicting that the wom-
an of the future would have hard row
to hoe unless such steps were taken.
In no uncertain terms Miss Gordon
denounced the agitation recently started
to set aside the child labor laws, now
enforced In the south, for the next five
years in order to combat the hookworm.
She declared that If such was done. the
manufacturers and mill operators should
accept the hookworm as their patron
saint" She also spoke on the question
of sstage-struck children and declared
that the white slave" traffic of today
derived its chief source Of existence from
the hundreds of young girls who are
on the stage, and who in the course of
very short time are set adrift for one rea-
son or another, to seek livelihood in
some other business
Work Of Organization
The better portion of the afternoon ses-
sion was spent in effecting a permanent
organization. This was done and the con-
ference will begin it's business session to-
morrow.
Tonight the delegates were the guests of
the Memphis Trades and Labor council
at a reception. Miss Barnard of Okla
homa spoke at the reception, telling of
the great work that has been accomplished
in her state in the past two years and
OF the plans under foot for still more
improved conditions.
Gamett Andrews, a mill operator OF
Chattanooga, Tenn, spoke briefly today,
dwelling principally upon convict labor,
which he declared was a detriment TO
working conditions He said he believed
the conference was misnamed as the tex
tile workers did not in reality employ
one-third of the child labor i1 use and
lntimated that before the final session he
would make an effort to secure another
name for the next assembly.
One of the important questions decided
today was that the manufacturers and
laboring bodies should have equal repre-
sentation in the present and all future
conferences.
Delegates Are Plentiful
Hundreds of delegates from all over
the southern manufacturing states
from the east as far. as Boston and
fl ON the west as far as Denver are
IL attendance, all enthusiastic over the
prospects of securing through the me-
dunn of the convention and the reso-
buttons which are to be finally adopt ID
Uniform legislation bearing upon child
loh ar tion ia rTi1 o
and age of consent laws and impro we'd
W orking conditions in textile mills and
factories throughout the south.
Organized labor leaders and manu- :
facturers in the textile industry are
today in Memphis and began this MORN
ing a discussion of those questions
looking toward an improvement of con-
ditions under which women work and
the general uplift of the laboring
classes found in the textile mills Of
the south. This discussion will con.
tinue throughout the next two days,
the convention adjourning on Thurs
day.
Gov. Malcolm II. Patterson of Ten
nessee, who issued the call for the
present conference, extended the greet
ings of the state to the delegates this
morning after they had been called
to order by William H. Johnson, chair
man of the local arrangements COM
mittee, and a member of the Tennea-
see general assembly, which passed this
states child labor and compulsory ed
ucation laws after the first textile con-
ference in Nashville in 1907. Memphis
welcome to the visiting delegates was
extended by Mayor Edward Fl. Crump
and President Finlay w. Faxon of the
Business Mems club.
Only a brief programme was ar
ranged by the local committee for the
morning session. Short addresses were
made by President ]. b. Meyers OF
the local Trades and Labor council,
Rev. w. II. Shaffer, ID. d.. and State
Senator Frank M. Colville of Okla
homa.
Miss Barnard's Work
On completion of this programme a
recess was taken and the convention
settled down to real business prompt
~ on the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion, Miss Kate Barnard of Oklahoma,
vice president of the conference, pre-
| siding
one Of the most Interesting figures ut
the convention is Miss Barnard, state
| &C ,nmjssioner of charities in Oklahoin
cccupying as she does the only post
| ton of it's kind in the United States.
Miss Barnard Is responsible for tn
child labor and compulsory education
laws now effective in Oklahoma. Tha
state has sent to the Memphis confer
ence the largest single delegation.
| Governor Patterson outlined the
| uuestions to be discussed at the meet
ing and said he was In hearty SYM
pathy with all the purposes for which
the convention was called. "And rie-n.
here" said Governor Patterson, i de
sire to be placed on record as favor
| ing the right of labor to organize pre-