Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-09
CHILD LABOR COMMITTEE.
Bv FREDERIC ]. HASKLN.

The national conference of the child
labor committee begins its session In
Birmingham. Ala, today. This represents
what Is generally admitted to be the most
important and practical philanthropic
measure now before the American public.
Every state in the Union has its own
child labor committee. The national
committee represents over 5000 contribut-
ing members, who, during the past year,
have given about $4,000 to promote the
work. These figures, however. are very
inadequate in representing the interest
taken in this subject, for the national
government, the churches women's clubs
and the various patriotic and civic organi-
cations over the country have formed
branches and committees to forward the
interest in protective child labor laws.
Cotton mills in the south, mines and
glass factories in the north and sweat
shops in the larger cities furnish the most
striking examples of child labor hard
ships. The child laborers in the southern
states differ from those of the northern
cities because in the south they are chiefly
American-born. while most Of the work
ing children in the northern factories are
of foreign parentage The child workers
of the south come principally from the
mountain districts. Children from seven
years old up may be found in the mills
working twelve long hours each day
These stunted, drudging children can but
develop into a weakened, decrepit matu-
rty, aside from the dangers of accidents
which mutilate the child workers In such
large numbers. In many large factories
until recently. scant provision was made
to protect them from accident. Unguard-
ed wheels and beltings exposed them to
constant dangers. The child labor COM
mittee is working toward securing safer
conditions and in enforcing the laws al
ready in existence.
The child labor committees are endeav-
oring to raise the age limit at which
child may be employed to fourteen years;
to prohibit a child under sixteen from
working at night; to reduce the hours of
labor so that no child can work over
sixty hours week. and to abolish the
exemption clause whereby the child OF
a widow or a defective parent is de-
prived of the protection of the law. The
child labor committee works in conJunc~
ton with the compulsory education de-
partment in providing that no permit for
employment shall be given to any cnild
under fourteen sixteen who is not
able to read or write.
While child labor conditions In the fac
tories and mines are now receiving spe-
cial attention.,
New Evil Appears new evil ap-
in Work at Home phans Of home
employment This is, in some respects,
more detrimental to child life than work
in factories In a crowded tenement
sometimes six or eight children will be
found at work in one small, foul -alred
room from early morn until late at
at night with no law to govern their
hours of labor. Each year the number
of articles manufactured at home in
creaSeS SO that
This little child ribbons through,
That little child makes flowers,
This little child makes willow plumes,
Another holds baby for hours;
And all of them work in close, warm room
Through the good bright summer hours.
1t is wonderful how dextrous little fin
gers can be in the manufacture of cheap.
artificial flowers and even baby fingers
can run ribbons in the deliberately trim
med lingerie so universally on sale. Inc
manufacture of willow plumes is a recent
development of child labor. At the be-
ginning these plumes were manufactured
at the rate of IL cents per inch. The
price dropped to II, 10, S. D and finally
) cents, so that now to earn single
penny d worker may be required to tie
as many as thirty of the knots which
unite the ostrich fianges with the plume
The evils of home labor extend to a
| younger class of children than can be
| employed in the factory, for even babies
| three years old learn to pull basting
| threads. Children of five can handle
| paste brush and paste stems on poison
| Gus green rose leaves. Tying the knots In
willow plumes is so simple that very
young children begin it, greatly to the
detriment of their eyesight as well as to
their health, for the fuzz which comes
| from the plume is breathed into the lungs
and a bad cough results. Frequently tu-
| bercular conditions are found in the
rooms where these plumes are manufac-
tured, a fact the purchaser would do we'll
| to remember.
| 1t is only by the most careful investiga-
| ton that home labor is discovered, but
| laws are being made prohibiting it, and
| the child labor inspectors everywhere are