Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-17
stature to be assembled IN ootobsr.

islature to be assembled in October.
Considerable time and attention have
been devoted to the question Of reguiat.
Ing the hours Of work for women and
children. Your commission has felt that
in this particular matter there was need
for immediate action. It is not a matter
for Mysteries or sentimentality. Your
commission holds 1t to be a question OF
protection for those. who under the pres.
ent system are without any safeguards
against ruthless exploitation. A sad
part Of the story 10 that in some instances
this law Is needed to protect the children
against the greed or poverty OF
their own parents. Few men Will
be SO rash as to dispute the truth
OF what has been said regarding this
matter Of woman and child labor To
our minds. 1t is not only question Of
what has happened in the past. or what
the present conditions Of industry may
be In this State Vermont Is rapidly be-
coming an industrial community. We
may look forward to see the history Of
Massachusetts and New Hampshire re-
peated-possibly on a smaller scale. May
we profit by their example! To our
minds, this measure is much more.
|
bitter fruit In our sister commonwealth.
The Vermont law provides with certain
exceptions that no child under fourteen
years of age shall be employed In q
mill or factory. Furthermore, that no
child under sixteen years Of age shall
be SO employed during public school term.
Provided that certain specified amount
OF work has been done in school, the
town superintendent Of schools may
grant a certificate to children under six
teen years of age which will permit of
their employment in mill or factory.
This certificate is deposited with the en-
ployer for his protection. AS regards
child labor, it is the opinion of your COM
mission that the law Is all right. There
| Is some evasion Of the law. 1t may be
in some cases due to the carelessness Of
the employer. In some cases II has been
due to the mendacity of children. or
their parents No adequate provision has
yet been made for the proper enforce
ment OF the laws which have to do with
this subject The truant officer. or the
town superintendent of schools may"
visit manufacturing establishment to
examine the children therein employed.
That Is to say, he may or ne may not
1t will be obvious to the convention
that what Is needed Is a system Of State
inspection for all manufac turlng estab.
lishments. Without at all questioning the
ability or integrity Of local officials, 1t
is matter Of fact that a State official.
In virtue of his position, would be more
competent to secure the enforcement Of
the law. The experience of other in
dustrial communities teaches us this
lesson. The commonwealth Of Massachu-
sets expends Sl36.00o annually in a
thorough and efficient system Of State
inspection Of mills and factories. New
Hampshire spends $1,000 annually for the
same purpose. Without an efficient sys-
TEN of factory inspection, the best laws
on these subjects may be of little value.
The question of Sunday observance has
been a matter Of discussion. 1t is we'll
known that some Of our manufacturing
establishments have paid little heed to
the Lords day. The Vermont law on this
subject. while It may be so construed as
to prohibit physical activity Of almost
any description. upon Sunday. is sufficient
for our needs. Here again the difficulty
is that we seem to have at present no
official whose duty 1t Is to take the
initiative in securing the enforcement of
the present law. 1t cannot be expected
that any worker in a mill or manu-
featuring establishment will complain of
any violation of this Sunday law. Such
complaint on his part would simply
mean the loss Of his position. No citizen
in an industrial town, as a rule, cares
to interfere In such matter. He may
be opposed to Sunday work as unneces-
sary and burdensome. but to take action |
seems only to invite trouble and I'M
pleasantness with men upon whose good !
will he may be in some ways dependent |
Town and city grand Jurors and States |
attorneys decline to do detectives work |
The employment of professional de-
tectives or Spoilers" in these. or other |
matters. troubles the conscience OF the |
people. Here again. in the opinion of
your commission, there is need of COM
prehensive system Of State inspection |
which will afford the machinery for the |
prompt and efficient enforcement OF the |
present 'aw.
1t will be we'll to note the effect OF
such regulation of woman and child |
labor, as your commission advocates up |
on the scale OF wages for men. AS con-
ditions are at present. In our industries |
where women and children COM
class of work, the unregulated COM
petition Of women and children who |
can afford to work cheaper tends to |
force or to keep down the scale of wages |
for men. And precisely because a mans
ability to earn Is forced down by such |
of woman and child labor, |
that same man many find 1t necessary |
to take his own children out of school
and his wife out Of her home to work
with him in the mill In order to MAIN
tain his household.
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC..
In asking for reports of social condi-
lions In the industrial towns OF the State.
attention was directed to the liquor traf-
fic. 1t seemed best to ascertain what in
telligent and informed opinion is as to
the enforcement of the present law.
One of the strongest arguments against
the old prohibitory law was, that II did
not prohibit; that Intoxicating liquors
were sold just as freely in hotels. drug
stores and dives as If they were oper-
ating under license. Not only that there
was free and open selling Of such in
toxicating liquors as II the sellers held
license, but also that the existence OF
such prohibtory law upon the statute
book, openly disregarded and flouted,
brought all law into disrespect and con-
tempt To drunkenness and disorder
there seemed to be added the browning
shame OF public hypocrisy Any public
minded citizen must view with grave