The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-17
EDUCATION GIVEN
 AS CHILD LABOR 1. SOLUTION BY OATES
Chief Inspector of Alabama Speaks Before the Child Labor Conference at
 New Orleans

r New Orleans, March 16.--Differences of opinion as to best methods of benefiting child workers was expressed at the tenth Annual national child labor conference here today. Ideas of those from sections of the country having to deal with more or less an immigrant population appar entity did not coincide with opinions from those from other parts of the county. ', Discussion arose when Dr. W. II. Oates, chief inspector of Alabama, said that in his opinion the only solution was com pulsory education and a gradual raising of the age limit governing mill workers. He pointed out that in many instances both parents and children tried to dodge Educational requirements demanded by the Alabama inspector, and that in many cases parents were willing for their chil. dren to work while they themselves were mot employed
 N Delegates from eastern states said that their experience had been that children were put to work because low wages made it necessary for the support of the family, and apparently did not support the general theory that many children worked in the south or elsewhere with ttle unSIuuSlns COHSNll Ol IuelT IdTellls.
 Stereopticon Lecture
 Many speakers told of different phases of child labor betterment endeavors in different parts of the country and Alex ander Johnson, in charge of training school for mental detectives in New Jer- sey, gave a stereopticon lecture at the afternoon session. In the course of his talk he said care for mentally deficient girls was necessary for solution of the social evil problem. owen R. Loveioy general secretary of the national child labor society, surprised some of the dee- gates at the morning session by saying that much had been gained by taking photographs of child workers without the Knowledge of factory owners and plant. CTS.
 A report prepared by Herschel II. Jones, special agent of the National committed and read today. was to the effect that the United States was behind even Rus. sla in enforcement of child labor laws and that in Mississippi particularly the child labor laws were as good as dead. State Senator James R. McDonell of Mis- sissippi said they should be able to do what he considered good work in Misss- sippi. One plan he said was to change officers with each new administration seeing to 1t that the child labor organi- zation had the same political bearings the faction In power.
 Four speakers at the night session advo- cated federal control of child labor They were Dr. Felix Adler, chairman of the national child labor committee; Mrs. Flor ence Kelley of New York, secretary of the National Consumers league: Dr. A. l.. McKelway, Washington southern sec ietary of the national child labor commit tee, and Dr. Samuel McCune Lindsay
 lessor of social legislation, Columbia
 yersity.
 ie speakers emphasized the conten- of non-enforcement of state laws and
 that scaring for children was a na-
 al probNm and the national laws eha d be enforced. Mrs. Kelley told of li ged ipcidents of children under age ,yoy king >hn Illinois industrial plants un- e.r tbe supposed regulation of state laws
 nis federal inspection laws were rigid
 forced by federal officers. Dr. Me
 way sah that good laws in southern t' es were not enforced in many cases