El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-09

child labor committee begins its
session in Birmingham, Ala
bama, today. This represents what
IS generally admitted to be the most
important and practical philanthropy
ic measure now before the American
public. Every state in the union has
Its own child labor committee. The
national committee represents over
5000 contributing members. who dur
ing 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 gov
eminent, the churches, women's clubs.
and the various patriotic and civic or
CARNATIONS over the country have
formed branches and committees to
forward the interest in protective
child labor laws.
Child workers In the south.
Cotton mills in the south, mines
and glass factories in the north, and
sweat shops in the larger cities fur
nish the most striking examples of
child labor hardships. The child labor
ers in the southern states differ from
those Of the northern cities because
in the south they are chiefly American
born, while most of the working chill
dren in the northern factories are OF
foreign parentage The child workers
of the south come principally from the
mountain districts. Children from sew
en- years old up may be found In the
mills working II long hours each day
These stunted, drudging children can
but develop into a weakened, decrepit
maturity, aside from the dangers Of
accidents which\ mutilate the child
workers in SUCH l.fge numbers. In
many large factories until recently
scant provision was made to protect
them from accident Unguarded wheels
and beltings exposed them to constant
dangers The child labor committee is
working towards securing safer condi-
lions and IN enforcing the laws already
in existence.
The child labor committees are en-
deavoring to raise the age limit at
which a child may be employed to II
years; to prohibit a child under 16
from working at night; to reduce the
hours Of labor so that no child can
work over 60 hours a week; and to
abolish the exemption clause whereby
the child Of a widow or a defective
parent is deprived OF the protection
Of the law. The child labor commit
tee works IN conjunction with the
compulsory education department IN
providing that no permit for employ
ment shall be given to any child under
Il or Is yho is not able to read or
write
A New Evil Arises.
While child labor conditions in the
factories and mines are now receiving
special attention. a new evil appears
in the shape of home employment
This is. in some respects. more detrf-
mental to child life than work in fac
tories. In a crowded tenement some
81 fcrhf 10
found at work in one small fou1-aired
room working from early morn until
late at night with no law to govern
their hours Of labor. Each year the
number Of articles manufactured at
home increases so that
This little child runs ribbons through, !
That little child makes flowers.
This little child makes willow plumes.
Another holds baby for hours;
And all Of them work in a close. warm
the good. bright summer
hours"
It is wonderful how dextrous little
fingers can be in the manufacture of !!
cheap. artificial flowers, and even !
baby fingers can run ribbons in the |
trimmed lingerie so unfver-
sally on sale. The manufacture OF will |
low plumes is a recent development Of |
child labor. At the beginning, these /
plumes were manufactured at the rate
Of Is cents per inch The price dropped |
to II, 10. eight, five and finally to
three cents. so that now TO earn a sin /
gle penny a worker may be required to 4
tie as many as 80 of the knots which |
unite the ostrich flanges with the I
plume. The evils Of home labor extend I
to a younger class of children thar !
can be employed in the factory, for /
even babies three years old learn to |
pull basting threads. Children Of /
five can har - paste brush /
and paste stems OF poisonous green (
rose leaves Tying the knots in willow !
Dlumes is so simple that very young I
children begin it. greatly to the det-
riment Of their eyesight as well as
to their health, for the fuzz which /
comes from the plume is breathed into
RANGERS RETURN: +,