Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-01-29

normal BY the proper influences and
care during childhood.
1T Is a difficult matter TO make little,
empty heads hold the KNOWLEDGE we try
TO give them when their little bodies are
weak from hunger, How much better Il
would be to take delinquent children and
ind why they are delinquent and build
educational institutions instead Of ad-
ditlons TO our jails."
Child Labsr. Unnecessary.
Dean sumner declared child labor was
unnecessary. and 10 prove his assertion
pointed to the fact that but three children
were found in Chicago whose wages were
Indispensable to the family and but five
in the state Of Illinois. Greed drives them
Into the factories and keeps them there.
The supply of labor IL now greater than
the demand and the labor Of the child Is
robbing the adult Of fair compensation
for his time and work.
Manufacturers who are eager that the
child labor industry shall thrive because
the def fingers Of childhood can be
bought for less price than those of the
more mature we're denounced as being
principal actors In the child labor tragedy.
school. Are Humdrum.
As another contributing cause to child
labor Dean sumner said cur schools were
too humdrum and that children wanted
to leave them. lie said the schools had
been undergoing gradual change for the
better and that he hoped In time to see a
transformation. Eight-hour day schools
with half OF the time devoted 10 study
and half to supervised play or a portion
OF the day given to the study OF some
vocation. including visits TO business and
professional houses where the actual bust
ness activities could be studied. were
advocated.
Pointing to the horrors OF child labor,
Dean Sumner drew 3 picture Of the limp
lunEed. pallld-faced. fever-racked LITTLE
child with It's consumptive cough. longing
for the sunshine. but doomed ever TO b.
shadow child" lie scored a theoiogi-
cal seminary where examination questions
included twelve queries about the angels
but not one about a child. 'one child.
he said. born in the most awful vicious.
4 HtaHp - WYNN tAAbAN AT AAE eAthA W wv
than all the angels"
Remedies Are Suggested.
let US establish a federal child's vel
fare bureau. or whatever you want Il cal
Il. 10 confer with the president and hi
cabinet; municipal day nurseries; proven
children working during vacation. becaus
they return too weary to take interest Il
their work: and let us have supervise
: play" suggested the dean. referring 1
: the means for improving the child labo
: situation.
: Frequently during his address Dea
5 Sumner was compelled to pause. tn
audience Of Zoo noisily endorsing hi
: opinions.
Dr. d. L. Jenkins presided during III
T meeting. The opening number on III
= afternoon program was = song by n
Omaha High school Glee club. followe
with a prayer by Bishop r. l. william
= and an address by Miss Julia G. I1athro
on Unprotected Children Boys an
! Girls and Their Rights"
!. Environment Nc ~ PefentiaI.
= Environment was set down by Nj,
I.athrop as the principal cause 81 delii
duency and general orneIIness IN boy
and girls. She said 1t was the duty
the state to superintendent the care ,
tho child and that every child has IN
right 90 consideration. whether rich (
poor, sick or well. The child has igl
to be studied. Instead of punished, sai
. whiie tracing the history Of child. legisll
- zion and treatment down through Il
= last few hundred years.
As proof that the child was influences
by It's surroundings il referred to u
= theft Of coal from the coal yards. sayir
! The chnd often believed u had risl
y 10 this coal. viewing the rsilrssd yar,
= as the great iron common" To offs
= thefts OF coal Miss Iathrop said raj
:" roads should fence their yards instead
seeking TO punish offending children.
she declared in favor OF the parent
pension law. recently enacted In Iliino
y the psyehopsthic institute which stud
n boys and girls from phsychologic
N STANDPOINT. and lambasted society Z
D. holding to the old Custom q impriso