Evening journal., 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.

NEW YORK, Oct. IA new. UNI
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
l5-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 i'm 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 a certificate from
this bureau, permitting them to do
so.
For the past three or four weeks
a line Of children sometimes a half a
block long mas been waiting at this
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 I'm 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 family the
committee saw to Il 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. The mothers,
or fathers or whoever goes with
them 10 tho Office TO 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
]. V. Minor, agent for the bureau who
is the firsti the applicant for permits
have to see
my daughter is fourteen" insists
Mrs. J. Ratio as she presents a little
wisp Of girl before Miss Minor.
How is that?" queries Miss Minor
This passport says she was year
old when you came over here and it
shows you have only been here ten
years"
well, you see." said the mother,
| pleading earnestly. when come
over a friend told me that if ] told
| the child was four years old I would
have to pay half fare FOR her. So /
| dressed her up in bahS's clothes and
carried her in my arms, saying she
was a year old. But it didn't do me
any good as [ had to sit 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 had TO pay half fare for
/ her"
Just then a very polite Frenchman
! leaned over Miss Minors desk.
81 beg pardon he said, "but would
1 you mind telling me how a gentle
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 30 to work at
once. After the applicants pass Miss
/ Minor thev are taken into another
room where they arc examined by
doctors. If they are not i'm 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-
tons are permanent.