Arizona republican., 1913-07-02
CHILDREN WORK
 ELEVEN HOURS
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATCHl

cotton manufacturers of four South ern States-GeOrgia, Alabama and the Carolinas-Were charged with having prevented the Legislatures of those States from repeating child labor laws which permit children twelve years old to work eleven hours a day in the mills, in an address here today by A. J. McKelway, of Wash ington. D. c, secretary for the South ern States of the National Child Labor Committee. MT. McKelway's address was delivered al the Sectional Conference on Capital and Labor in cident to the Worlds Christian Citi zenship Conference, in session here.
 In addition. MT. McKelway charged the textile manufacturers of Penn sylVania. Massachusetts. Tennessee and Texas with public opposition to the eight-hou day for children ani the nine-hour day for women work ers.". At the conclusion of his ad- dress he submitted "DeclaratiOn of Dependence" on behalf of the child ren of America, in mines and fac tories and workshops assembled" He said in part:
 Tn the opposition to child labor reform the textile industry has been even more conspicuous than in it's em- ployment of children. During the Legislative sessions of this year. it is the textile interests of Massa achuS- etts and Pennsylvania that have fought the eight-hour day for child ren under sixteen and the textile manufacturer of Tennessee and Texas were the public opponents of the eight hour day for children and the nine hour day for women workers.
 Tt is the cotton manufacturers of the four Southern States of Georgia. Alabama. and the Carolinas that have prevented the Legislatures of those States from prohibiting the barbarism of allowing a twelve year old child to work an eleven hour day in the case of Georgia a ten year old child. Nor are these low stand ard laws adequately enforced in these States
 Tt has been the fashion of the American people to end an abuse. once once it's consequence were understood. It has heard the in dictment against the child labor sys- tenn. that it means not only the injury, physical. mental. moral. to thousands of individual children, but an injury to society itself. and in jury to the race. The system stands today convicted at the bar of public
 
 counts: that it involves racial degen- eracy, the approximation of poverty the continuance of dependency. the en- largement of illiteracy, the increase of crime, the disintegration of the fami- ly. the lowering of the wage scale and the swelling of the army of the un- employed. The verdict is the aboli- ton of child labor in America at whatever cost
 If it be proved that child labor. is not essential to the existence of an industry. then let child labor die and the industry live. But if it be claimed that any industry cannot survive without the employment of children. that industry writes itself down as unworthy of survival on American soil.
 As We prepare to celebrate the Declaration of Independence that made our actual life an actuality. let us write for oppressed children the declaration of dependence:
 Declaration of Dependence
 By the Children of America
 ''Ip Mines and Factories and Work shops Assembled.
 ''Whereas, we children of America. are declared to have been born free and equal, and
 Whereas. we are yet in bondage in this land of the free; are forced. to toll the long day or the long night. with no control over the conditions of labor, to health or safety or hours or wages, and with no right to the rewards of our service: there fore. be it Resolved:
 T, That childhood is endowed with certain inherent and inalienabIe rights, among which are freedom from toll for daily bread: the right to play and to dream; the right to the normal sleep of the night season. the right to an education. that we may have equality of opportunity for developing all that there is in us of mind and heart.
 2 That we declare ourselves to be helpless and dependent that we are and of right ought to be depend ent. and that we hereby present the appeal of our helplessness that We may be protected in the enjoyment of the rights of childhood. "3. That we demand the restora- tion of our rights by the abolition of child labor in America"
 The part that Christianity played | in the awakening of China and the birth of the republic, as seen through | the eyes of a Chinese was sketched | tonight by Ng POOn Chew, editor of a Chinese daily paper at San Francis co This interesting speaker said in part:
 During the last twenty five years | the progress of Christianity in China | has been very marked. The Boxer l movement of 1900 may be considered as the final death struggle of the | darkness against the triumphant march of truth and enlightment of | modern civilization Since that fate fui period in Chna's history, the Church of Christ grew by leaps and bounds throughout the whole land During the last ten years Chris tian communities grew in influence size and number The word of God began to be circulated everywhere and people who sat in darkness be- gan to see the great light And thus the Church of God grew in China, while men in Christian