Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-10-12
Children WORK
while WAR RACES
Fathers at the Front, Little
People Now the Bread
Winners
NEW YORK
FEELS THE BLOW
BY CARLTON TEN EYCK.
written for the United Press. }

NEW YORK, Oct. ia new, un-
expected and depressing effect Of
EurOpe's great war is making itself
felt in New York-and probably many
other American cities-now.
Children-girls and boys of IA and
15--are today being sent to work
where yesterday they we're being
sent to school. With their fathers
and older brothers having been called
to the colors by their native coun-
tries, these children are now forced
to work in order that the mother and
other little ones do not starve. The
few paltry dollars that they earn
each week helps to keep the wolf
away from the door
How noticeable is the increase Of
the number of children seeking work
this fall is shown by a visit to the
child labor bureau of the Board Of
Health. Before a boy or girl under
sixteen years of age can work in New
York they must get certificate from
this bureau, permitting them to do
so.
For the past three or four weeks
a line Of children sometimes a half
block long mas been waiting at this
Office every day. seeking permits to
find employment Such a condition
has never before existed. the officials
say, and they declare that in eight
out of ten cases the children say
they are forced to seek work because
their father has gone to the war In
Europe.
One Of the most pathetic features
of the situation is the Withholding Of
funds formerly cheerfully given to a
committee which permitted many
children like those seeking work now
to stay In school. Formerly many
wealthy people gave freely to this
committee and the funds were used
to keep children VINO applied for
permits to work in school. II the
child said that he was forced to work
in order to help support a family the
committee saw to II that the family
got each week what the child would
have earned and thus Kept the young
ster in school.
Since the war the people who for
merly made donations have "hoar-
ded" their money. They are not
making any gifts now when they are
needed so badly-and consequently
the committee cannot help any Of the
children.
The child labor bureau will not
issue a permit to any child that is
not fourteen years old. Tho mothers,
or fathers or whoever goes with
them 10 the Office 10 apply for the
permit must take along proof Of the
child's age also.
Many pathetic cases are heard
during day in the office OF Miss
J. v Minor, agent for tho bureau whS
is the first the applicant for permits
have to see.
my daughter is fourteen" insist
Mrs. J. Ratio as she presents a little
wisp Of a girl before Miss Minor.
How is that?" queries Miss Minor
"This passport says she was a year
I old when you came over here and II
shows you have only been here ten
years"
well, you see" said the mother,
pleading earnestly, when I come
over a friend told me that If ! told
the child was four years old ! would
have to pay half fare for her. So
dressed her up in baby's clothes and
carried her in my arms. saying she
was a year old. But It didn't do me
any good as I had to cit her down
to get my ticket out and when / did
she walked away and the officers dis
covered she was more than a year
old and I had to pay half fare for
her"
Just then n very polite Frenchman
leaned over Miss Minors desk.
81 beg pardon" he said, but would
Inw n frnFafHn
man for whom ] am acting can get a
permit for his girl to wo.k. She is
fourteen but she never went to school
in this country and he does not know
how to go about getting The papers.
am asking for him as he is so ner-
vous- about such things being new
in this country. And it is impera-
tive that his daughter work"
"YOu bring or send him and his
daughter here and | will see what can
be done for them" replied Miss Min
or. 81 have to see them personally"
The Frenchman seemed much put
out because she did not hand him a
permit for the child to 90 to work at
once After the applicants pass Miss
Minor they are taken into another
room where they arc examined by
doctors. If they are not in good
health, weigh less than eighty or are
not taller than four feet eight inches
: or are suffering from any physical
defect their application is rejected.
If they are suffering from enlarged
tonsils or some ailment that can be
treated they are only rejected tenn
porarily. But II it is tuberculosis or
a disease on that order their rejec-
/ tiOns are permanent