The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-15
WOMEN TELL OF
CHILD SLAVERY
AT CONFERENCE
Prove Their knowledge of Can
ditiOns at Child Labor
Session
ONE TELLS OF LOW WAGES
PAID AMBITIOUS BOY
Favor Letting Manufacturers
Pay Widows and Old
Age Pensions

JACKSONVILLE. Fla. March 10
When you see a convention hall ID
which about three out Of Ave dele
gates are women. as Is the case al
this ninth annual Child Labor con
ference. you expect to hear more or
less sentimental gush. At least, did,
But I've been listening for two days
and two evenings now, and I've heard
nothing sentimental.
The best talking has been done by
the women. Some OF them, like Flor
ence Kelley, secretary Of the Nation
al Consumers league. are quite USED
TO that sort of thing. On the other
hand, many of these women have
never before faced big audience.
They get up without notes, without
preparation. They ought to be scared
blue, but they are not. They all seem
to have something TO say and they
get 1t across.
They don't deal In generalities.
They don't pull out the sympathy
stop and sentimentalize on what a
sad thing II Is that SO many little
children should have to work In the
cotton mills for their daily bread.
They discuss causes, delve into the
root Of things. Many OF them began
as members of mothers clubs. But
they have not been content to reieVe
a little local distress. They say they
have been finding out. They are
ready to indict the industries which
demand such Wholesale sacrifice OF
childhood, and they are finding out
who it Is that blocks their bills IN
the legislature committees. they are
taking a hand In state campaigns.
widows pension bills? Yes!" said
Mrs. Kelley today. Also pensions Tor
fathers. But don't cnarse
It up to charity. Send the bill TO the
who underpay their
employees"
I'm tired OF this charity work.
said Miss Jean Gordon, OF New Or
leans, who ia the Jane Adams OF the
south. 1T makes me cross because
il is SO useless. What we really neen
is LEGISLATION. The men won't give IL
to us. I've heard our legislators dis
cuss for hours whether shrimp
should be three or four inches long
before being caught. But they've no
time 10 discuss the little shrimp pack
cts. who 60 to work. sometime. at
O clock in the morning, and decide
whether they should not be protecteo
and permitted to sleep.
Then came tall young woman
dressed, and wearing a
very fluffy hat. This was Miss Newell
from Columbus. Ga. And what sne
didn't know about public speaking
was amazing. But she didn't care
Not a rap. The chatty, vivacious man
ner of the afternoon tea. to which she
was doubtless more accustomed thah
this. she brought right onto the pat
form.
I'm from Georgia she said. ana
I'm proud Of It. But I'm not Dit
proud OF our child labor laws,
Which was rather a brave begih-
ming.
Miss Newell is connected with the
organized charities OF her city, where
the cotton mills are thick. She mas
been trying to keep the little mill
operatives In school Georgia's edu'
cational laws haven't helped much, Sc
now she is determined that these laws
shall be changed.
why. we just can't stand II, saio
Miss Newell LET me tell you OF
one OF my boys. nine wears old he
had been missing his lessons. Ano
what do you think l found out? why
that little chap has been getting w
at S o'clock in the morning. WORKING
in a knitting mill until school time
and going back after school, to WORK
until 10 at night. He got one GEM
for every "a stockings, and most nv
ever earned In week was p.6o, anc
at times he took into the mill as
helper his little brother, six years Ola
Now We want to stop this sort o.
thing. I don't know much about Ia"
making, or politics. but I'm going e
learn. I've never been before lex
islature. but I'm going and ! am 80
ing TO have some facts to relate.
An absurd. womanish sort or
speech, but 1t made the hit OF th'
gathering, for everyone who hear'
Miss Newell realized that she was u
dead earnest. The Georgia '""'
,,ro 10 ,o,no IN hear from her before