The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-25
--stlt.zl .--f.sl.5- y
SHARP CRITICISM
OF VIRGINIA LAWS
Or. McKelway. Says 70 Per Gent.
OF Cotton Mill Children
Are Illiterate.
TALKS OF JUVENILE i. IN COURT
Judge Mack Points Out Its
Advantages Doherty on
Labor Laws.
TALKS OF JUVENILE COURT

b.
Appalling revelations OF the abuses
OF Juvenile labor in Virginia. told by
Or. a. J. .A1cKeiway. of Washington. d
crsecretary of the Netional5 Child La
Dor Committee startled those who at.
tended the seventh session of the Child
Welfare Conference. held last nigh, In
the John Marshall High School audito-
rum. DR.. McKelway. who is native
OF this State said he did not want 10 be
unjust TO the Old Dominion, but that h e
had visited every State in the Union
compiling his statistics. He referred
mainly to the cotton Industry as the
principal wrecker of young lives. II
hrst developed g s such in New Eng.
land. but 1t has rapidly spread to the
southern States, he said. Continuing,
ne declared that this Commonw altl,
should congratulate itself upon pos
sessing few cotton manufactures com.
pared with other States.
III you Will attempt TO pass a dras-
TIC child labor law q the next session
OF your General Assembly," DR.. Nc
kelway told his auditors. you will find
lobby TO defeat II composed almos,
entirely of representatives of the cot
ton Industry. 1t uses the labor of chill
dren because they are cheap; IL Is g
poorly paid and unckilled trade, and
never equips any child TO make a de-
cent living after 1t becomes an adult
Child labor. I say. is the curse OF the
cotton industry. M
Many Iiliterate.
In statistics IL has been discovered
ttat 20 per cent OF the children EN-.
ployed by cotton manufacturers In
Virginia are illiterate. In Alabama the
percentage Is lower by per cent, and
1t Is slightly below that In other
States where the business fourishes.''
D.. McKelway scored the cotton mills
from start 10 finish. He declared thai
though Virginia had a child labor law
which was not nearly effective enough
the lenie1cy OF It, but persisted in vio-
lating 1t. The cotton mills are hold
Ing the State back. he said
Virginia hasn't as good law or
| this subject as she should have" he
continued. New York. Ohio and Hi.
isois have :he best child la Dor laws
| Why shouldn't Virginia be equally a.
| humane? There is no reason why she
should not be equally as advanced II
the States referred to they have the
Immigrant problem to deal With bu
child is entitled 10 lust as much protec-
tion Is thrown about foreign chill
| dren.
| Compulsory Education.
| One of the best methods toward:
the abolition OF child labor is the ell
actment of a Statewide compulsorS
education law.
The night messenger service is an
other line of juvenile vocation which
/, works for evil 1t has been proven
| that the great majority of the calls
and deliveries by messengers after
jand 10 o'clock at night are to evi
resorts. There should be al aw prohib-
iting any child under twenty-on year:
of age from being employed as a night
messenger Exactly the sa me condi
lions obtain in Norfolk and Richmond
as n New York and Chicago. excep
in smaller proportion"
He concluded his address by urging
that the Virginia child labor commit
tee present at the next session OF the
CONTINUED on Seventh Page.)