The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-25
COMPLIES BRIEF UPON
NEW CHILD LABOR LAW
LABOR Commissioner Doherty Pre-
pares Paper for Benefit
Of Public.
ACT EFFECTIVE ON JULY
Existing Conditions, However, Will
Not BE Disturbed, and Work
Under Present Contracts Will Con-
tine without Interruption.

LABOR Commissioner Doherty yes
tordhy compiled Il brief or the new
cnlld labor law passed by the last scs-
SION OF the Legislature. The Office of
the state Labor Commissioner has re
cclVed frequent Inquiries as TO this
the benefit OF the public
The requirements of the new law. as
enumerated by Commissioner Dohertv
yesterday are as follows: The law
hpphes 70 factories. workshops. mines
hiercahtile establishments, laundries,
bakorles. hrickyards and lumber
yards The exemption in the old law
Oh country workshops Is cut out. and
inc now law applies to them as well
as TO those In cities.
children under fourteen arc pro-
hibited from working In tho places or
occupation na!ned. II Is taken into
consideration that In rare cases a child
may be thrown on its own resources.
IN which case a petition VIII have to
To made TO the Circuit or CORPORATION
court, which may release the child
from the operation OF the law. hut
ON! Tor good cause shown and en-
tered of record
CHILDREN OVER TWELVE
MAY DELIVER GOODS
th'!d3eh over twelve are permitted
10 work in the sale. distribution aud
transmission of merchandise. but only
after school hours ana before T. NJ
fcrhaps the provision Of the law
"h'ch has created more confusion
than any other. Is that relating to tho
employment OF children between the
ages OF fourteen and sixteen. This
provision Is not Il prohibitory ono IN
any "ay, but merely provides for IN.
establishing by evidences the fact that
TIC child is over fourtcei-that Is to
Aay, Il child under sixteen and over
fourteen is Tree 10 work under any cir
cumstancoS. But = prccau,ion in taken
$50 as to make IL certain that nc is
over fourteen, and a notary muAt Ger
IVY th!s fact and must ale the docu-
'nehtary evidence OF birth. The evil
dencc required Is specified in the act
ana mo procedure is also set out
children under sixteen arc not pcr-
United 10 work more than six days In
the week. nor more than ten hours a
DAY. nor at night.
Telegraph. telephone and mcsacn-
ger companies in cities OF 5000 or
more. according 10 the census of 1910.
are not permitted TO employ children
Under fourteen as messengers and. i'm
ease OF those under eighteen. they
cannot work them between 10 o'clock
III the evening and in the morning.
chiidren in cities OF 5000 or more
arc not permitted 70 sell or deliver
- " : P"i''H anu - lOEtN. ms applies
TO boys under ten and girls under SIN
teen.
Except as above stated. tho law IS
the same az the old law.
II VIII be- seen from this that the
la~ Is Il straight fourteen-ycar law.
And no departure from this is couu-
tcnanced except by a regular cour,
proceeding.
1T MAJ be stated that tho new law
does not seek TO disturb existing con-
d!tions. Where children are already
at work, in compliance with the old
law, there is nothing in the new law
which prevents their continuing at
their work according TO their existing
contracts. The new law goes into eff
feet on July !. 1914"