The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-23

IIlE AGI-
l. from the commercial viewpoint, this
cry of injuI1ng the commerce of the coun-
try has nearly always had its effect and
the laws written in the southern states
with the exception of louisiana have
been mockery on justice and an Insult
to the intelligence of the southern peo-
pie.
las | have said. the factory inspector
is the foundation stone of all child labor
legislation; upon him or her depends
tie results. And one of the most i'm
portant works before all such organizes
lions as are assembled here tonight is
the spreading tile knowledge that only
your best are worthy of the honor Of be-
ing entrusted with position upon which
so much depends.
Requires Unusual Talents
Factory inspection requires talents oil
no mean order. 1t requires great tact
discrimination, justice, ability to see the
question from both the manufacturers
point of view and that of the workers.
and last. but not least. infinite patience
to listen to the tales of woe from both
sides. Too long has America looked
upon all such> positions as beneath the
dignity and, Importance of your best oiti-
zens I know of none more important.
For the man or woman anxious to do
missionary work the field is unlimited
1t brings you in touch with the people
from every side and by little iudicious
aid here and friendly interest there,
and a bit of advice somewhere else you
will find yourself filing the many sided
role of minister, philanthropist, friend
and teacher.
1T is work admirably suited to the IN
telligent young woman of today. especial
ly the college girl who, If her college
course has done anything at all for her'
it has taught her the ability to invesu-
gate intelligently and make rational &c
ductions And if this sort of woman
would go in for this work | am coiih-
lent much of the opposition of the manu-
facturers would be overcome, for much OF
the opposition has been due to the knoWl-
edge that all factory inspectors have not
been actuated by the highest motives.
Talk About Hookworm
THE second DANCED which the friends of
the children must guard against is TINS
agitation in regard TO the hookworm.
There is no doubt that the hook
worm exists and is very Sc
rious drain upon the vitality of our
people. but cannot accept the plan
being urged by the disciples of the hook
worm theory that the southern states re-
peal all child labor laws. the children
be brought in from the farms and sent
into the mills SO they can be reached
easier and treated under the supervision
of the mill doctor and owners. With the
exception of a few mill owners | nave
never heard any one contend that cot
ton mill was a very salubrlous place for
children, therefore. why we should put
these children who, according to DIR.
Stiles and his followers are already in
this terribly aenemic condition, into an
atmosphere that has all the necessary con-
ditions for the developing of consumption
Il the germ is anywhere around, seems
10 my unscientific mind as rather curing
one evil by producing another, and l
think of the two evils l would prefer
he lesser, which must be the hoolworm,
o Judge by the rather good showing the
people OF the south can make
.If this suggestion should prevail, that
all legislation preventing the employment
il children be repealed, the manufacture
srs should take the hookworm as the
emblem of their patron saint, for 1t GER
.ainly would be a rich harvest for them.
what the south needs is intelligent
working people, and you cannot expect
great brain development in the child who
has gone to work before the sun Is well
I'D and worked until 1t is we'll down. We
near a great deal of this welfare work
which provides night schools for children
md libraries for women who have stood
On their feet 10 hours a day, walking
miles between their looms. | think a
night school for child under IA years
Of age is the refinement of cruelty, and
know no more pitiful sight than row
Of little heads bending over 4 spelling
book when they should be tucked in bed
Every child has a right to a happy
childhood and If the industrial conditions
make it impossible for the parents to
earn enough to give 1t its rights, then
there should be enough men and women
n each community to see that that
mother and father are helped out in the
,are of that child. Libraries for women
who have stood in the deafening roar of
4 mill all day I wonder how many of
is here tonight would feel like reading
Il we had put in "a hard days work. You
might as we'll invite your blind asylum
o an art exhibition or bring the Bos-
.on symphony to play for the inmates
IF your deaf asylumsl Bring your work
lay down to a reasonable day of nine
hours, pay a living wage to the grown
men and women and they can take care
Of their own welfare.
Uniform Law In south
And this brings me to the question
Of a uniform law for the southern states.
AS | have said, Louisiana is the only
southern state whose child labor law is
worth the paper 1t is written on. Mis-
sissippi and Alabama see there Is no
adequate enforcement. Georgia opens the
ioor to fraud by putting In her law the
,ruelest provision ever written in a law
intended to protect little children. 1t
says any orphan child may work at any
age. Think of that That the great