The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-26
A Cali TO THE CHURCHES.

A CALL TO THE CHURCHES.
The National Child Labor COM
mittee at its annual meeting just held
in New York City, issued call to the
churches of America inviting them to
observe Sunday, January 2Sth, or Sat.
urday. January 27th, 1912, as Child
Labor Day. The committee report
shows that during the year Just closed
better child labor laws have been
passed in thirty states, and that the
Commission on Uniform Laws of the
American Bar Association has pre-
pared and sent out to the public a
model child labor law to be used as
standard Of uniformity in all states.
These notable gains in the develop
ment OF child labor reform in Ameri-
ca indicate the widespread public IN
terest and the timeliness of such
observance of the day as the COM
mittee invites. Although these graf
flying results have been secured the
report OF the committee also calls at
tention to conditions against which
every church ought to issue it's pro
test, especially against the abuse OF
young children in coal mines, glass
factories, cotton mills, cigar and Gig
arctic factories, oyster and shrimp
canneries, and in the sweat shops OF
many large cities. Particular atten-
ton is called to the fact that although
there are over thirteen thousand
licensed tenement workshops In New
York City alone, and that these IL
censes cover but fraction of the
houses in which home work is actual
" done by children, there is at pres
emit no law to adequately combat this
evil.
Last year the committee announced
that child labor in the night messen
ger service had been abolished in but
two states. Through the continued
activity Of the committee nine Other
states have been added to the list this
year and the morals and health OF
these children thus safeguarded. Blu,
in majority of states it Is still pos
sible for young boys to be subjected
to all the moral hazard involved IL
this service, and vigorous measures
are demanded to correct the abuse.
| In issuing this call to the churches
the National Child Labor COMMITTEES
makes three facts clear:
First, that it is not asking thu
churches to contribute funds to 1T!
work on that date. Funds are needed
and will be gladly accepted, but thu
chief desire of the committee is t
have the facts brought to public at
tention. The committee offers itsel
as the agent OF the churches in arous
| ing healthy protest against TIL
abuse of child labor and through it
wide cooperation undertakes to d.
what isolated organizations could no
do.
Second, the date mentioned is onl
suggestive. The committee will al
preciate public address on that dat
or some other more convenient date
or brief discussion of the subject j
Sabbath school. mid-week meeting
, Young Peoples meeting, or in an
manner most appropriate to local GU
toms. In churches observing a Satu
day Sabbath, January 27th is sugges
| ed.
n Third. the committee offers
send without charge up-to-date info
nation covering the general subje'
$ of child labor, or any specific phas
/. clergymen may wish to discuss.
postcard or letter asking for pamp
lets or bulletins to assist In prepar
l. ton for the service, addressed to Owe
e R. Lovejoy, general secretary, n
tional Child Labor committee, Z
East 22d street, New York City, wi
e meet with prompt response.
S