Evening journal., 1913-02-12
DEFENDS THE
CHILD LABOR ACT
Henry B. Thompson Replies
to Editorial Criticism Of
the Bill

The following sclf-explanatory let
ter was sent yesterday to the Every |
Evening by Henry B. Thompson,
chairman of the Delaware Child Labor !
Commission:
To the Editor of the Every Evening
Dear Sir;-ln your editorial last
week, entitled "The Right and Wrong
Kind OF Law and in your articles
OF yesterday. entitled, some Points
About the Child Labor Bill" there Is
= lack cf knowledge and a singular
misc0nception of the interpre-
tatior of the bill which seems TO
need correction. In your editorial
YOU state. 'The movement for
legislation in this direction unfor-
tunately seems to be mainly confined
to preachers who have no connection
With real business. Young girls who
are not Tar enough advanced to know
what conditions should be. and women
who have no children OF their own,
etc.
AS a matter Of fact, the present
movement for legislation is a state
movement The commission OF which
] am chairman was appointed by the
Superior Court of the state of Della
ware 10 report 10 this present legsla-
ture on the whole question OF child
labor.
The commission has had two years
an which to study this subject, and
our report as submitted TO the legis-
lature is based on Investigations and
study Of this subject covering tho
labovc period. We have attempted in
10 far as possible 10 secure the best
expert advice in this matter. and have
had throughout the assistance of the
National Child Labor Committee, an
incorporated body which has made
IAN exhaustive and scientific study Of
fhis whole subject There Is hardly
n section in the new law as submit
ted that has not been thoroughly test
,od and tried out for some time In a
number OF the larger manufacturing
fEtates. There seems 10 be a miscon-
'caption in the minds Of some of the
public that now and untried plans
'aro being foisted upon the citizens Of
'ihe state OF Delaware. The differ
cncos between the present law and
Sho new law are not such as would
Impose any serious burden upon any
manufacturer or any employer Of
labor I'm the city of Wilmington
Dangerous Occupation Clause.
The first change that is made in
the new law Is the dangerous occu~
nations clause Tho fact that some
occupations are most dangerous than
Others for children is recognized I'm
the laws Of the following states:
Colorado. Connecticut, Illinois, Indi-
ana. Missouri, Minnesota, New York,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee,
Vermont Wisconsin.
Virtually each section OF the bill
could be backed by a citation of the
statutes of such states, but space pre-
ciudes except in this instance which
must serve for all.
The new law advances the age Of
children working in these so-called
dangerous occupations one year. I
am told by number Of leading man
ufacturers OF Wilmington that this
does not injure their apprenticeship
system or boys working under in
strnc;ion Common usage in this city
seems to make the age for such boys
TO be about sixteen.
The original bill as submitted made
the age sixteen, and In some occu-
paiions eighteen; but the commission
has requested an amendment, putting
the age as above stated, at fifteen.
new feature is supervision OF
street trades This is largely a ques-
tion OF morals A large percentage
% the cases that come before the
Juvenile Court are from the so-called
vagrant class occupied IN street
trades. and those citizens who are in
terested in this Juvenile Court move
ment feel that some supervision
should be provided for In the pres
ent law
In your further article OF yester-
DAY, "Some Points About the Child
Labor Bill" there are some curious
deductions made from certain sec
tions. For instance, you state, the
lelal requirements for sellin~ news
papers IN New Castle. for example
ara somewhat less onerous because Il
81 a city having less than 10000 popu-
lation. but the registration Is much
the same The answer 10 this Is
that there are no legal requirements
for selling newspapers in New Castle
nor is any registration required
The law takes no cognizance OF II
Whatsoever.
Again You say. ITO be qualified "a
deliver a package in Wilmington. a
b0v must be over fourteen and q gir
over sixteen" The law cannot be IN
terpreted IN this way. II a boy Is
employed in any store, or in any fac
tory that requires him to deliver pack
ages, he comes under the general class
OF the fourteen age limit which II
this case Is the same as the presen
law The application of this law 4
all children happening to deliver
package would be an absurdity. a.
Il only refers TO a regular occupa
ton
case Of the Farmer Boy.
Another statement is of curiou
application of Section 27 THAT
farmers boy under fourteen years q
age could drive team the Who'll
length OF the state. provided he di
not enter Wilmington; but enterin
this city he is liable 20 be cited
ATODnnU CDADEn