New-York tribune., 1912-01-07

or permitted TO work as a messenger bes
! fore in the morning or after 10 in the
evening.
Mr.. Lovcjoy is especially gratihed by the
outcome OF the work in this direction.
! BY this new law" he said, "a standard
is set by the Empire State for all other
! states and with the accumulated evidence
| in the possession of the National Child
Labor Committee, will be adequate 10 force
the same standard of protection through
out the Union
/ Indeed. this campaign. which was begun
in New York only year ago, has already
, borne fruit in eleven other states which
have passed messenger service laws more
! or less stringent during this banner year.
! But while conditions in New York State
are thus in many respects gratifying, Mr..
Loyejoy considers them far from ideal. For
! half a dozen years New Workers have COM
placently regarded their state as the leader
in child labor legislation Tenement manu-
factories in the big cities and the canning
factories of the western part OF the state
are still New York's unmitgated curse. In
the living rooms Of the tenement family
the greatest variety OF industries Is carried
on Weary children, with their worn moth
ers, elle out an existence in filthy surround
ings. Some make violets at the rate OF Ia
for four cents and there is no law interfer-
ing with work after school, Saturdays, Sun
days cr far into the night. Manufacturing
clothing. wlllowing ostrich plumes. making
human hair products. millinery, children's
dresses, mems 5carfs. lace, embroidery
garters. shelling nuts, fashioning paper
bags. carding buttons and attaching PEN
ellis 10 dance cards are some OF the activi-
ties OF the tenements.
Such work has most pcrnicious infu-
ences-it tends 10 demoralize whatever
standard OF living has existed. the meals
and the proper care of children are neg
ected. More than that. Il is a menace 10
public health. Frequently work is going
on In rooms I'm which the worker or some
member of the household is sick with con-
tagious disease. One observer reports that
a home -iinisher visited had a little boy suf-
fering from whooping cough and spreading
contagion over the garments on which IL
was working with its mother.
In another case a child;s head and face
were covered with "A loathsome rash, the
mother constantly stopped her work OF tine
ishing trousers and caressingly ran her
hands over this eruption. and then, without
washing them. continued her work.
Asked Hhat was the matter with tile
child. she could only say that her doctor
told her it was some "ketcha disease"
Underfeeding and overwork in bad air.
together with dirty habits. make these chill
dren most susceptible to tuberculosis and
other "ketcha diseases" which the wearer
OF articles made by them IS likely TO con-
tract, More than sixty articles not mem
toned I'm the present law relating TO manu-
featuring In the tenements are now made
there. AS no license is necessary TO work
on these things, conditions surrounding
their manufacture may be indescribably
bad. for the little workers and the general
public.
Nevertheless, many consider the New
| York State laws in this respect models.
The conditions in the cannertes OF New
! York state have improved much in the last
| year. During the season OF 1911 about one
4 6an,lnusd IN forrfh nara