The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-04
THE COST OF CHILD LABOR.

In spite of all the agitation and
legislation the child labor problem
still confronts the public. and is like
~ to until there are enlisted in its
solution not only philanthropists and
altruists but also the rank and file OF
the country's population. Perhaps no
more effective way of securing this
cooperation can be hit upon than by
bringing to the front the economic as
poets of the question, the tremendous
loss in productive power entailed up
on the community by the wasteful en-
ployment OF children during the period
when they should be developing the
forces which would make them profit
able members OF the community in
adult life. The absolute folly of this ex-
penditure of energy is shown by the
fact that even disregardirg its ulti-
mate loss it brings no present gain 70
the child's family. That is, in trades
where it is possibie to use women and
children. the entire earning capacity
of the family is no larger than is that
of the man alone in those trades
where only men can be empIoyed-a
fact fraught with far-reaching signih.
canoe for the thoughtful
And for this mere semblance OF
gain, empty of reality. is bartered the
future of the community.
The laws. pitifully inadequate as
most of them are. are unenforced on
one hand and eyaded on the other,
and children far below the Legal age
of fourteen years toll day after day,
not only for the ~ hours a day or
60 hours a week" which the Pennsyi-
yania law. for instance, permits. but
anywhere up TO IS hours in one week
and sixteen consecutive hours in one
day. Night work. and night work al
ternating with day work. so that even
II strength permitted the child can at
tend neither day nor night school,
add their quota to the list of dis
astrous influences.
In the northern states much horror
has frequently been expressed at the
conditions In southern mill towns. hut
there is no need to cross Mason and
Dfxon's line to find painful realities.
A recent number of Charities contains
an article fairly but graphically de
picting the state OF more than $4,000
Of the children OF Pennsylvania. and
that other northern states can fur
nish similar examples there is little
ri0Y7Ft parpa-i- 9 f-=,-S 1s ~ -.
er attended z New Year party at a
settlement in a town in New York
state. where the hostesses we're girls
employed in the local factories. over
fourteen Ct course they we're snppos-
ed 10 be, but half of them would have
failed 70 measure up TO the ten year
Old girl in our own home, and hollow
chests and bent shoulders augured i'll
for the future
ASIDE from The physical disaster re-
quitting from the hard work and long
hours, further evil Is wrought by
depriving these girls OF al opportun-
iiy 10 learn how TO keep nome A
girl whose life has been spent In
factory knows neither how TO ccok
nor clean nor sew effectively, and
married life for her Spells disaster.
she brings into the world children
sturted physically. mentally ana
morally and doep not know how TO
care tor them after they are born.
= century arg the children Of the
WORKING 5'opBlation CT England we're
Ewef l1to the oottoa mills and today
England is - panic over the 6eren.
s'-'rfit'1 q be- national physique. Tha,
T m port q child labor Can ne at
tars IL