The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-11-27
From thursdays Daily.


To the Editor OF The Free Press:
Your good reporter quoted me i'm your
issue OF yesterday as wondering why
Mankato people did not respond more
readily 10 our appeal for the working
children without completing the
thought which had expressed in
comparing that with the very gener-
Gus response | have seen Mankato
show 10 other good causes.
There are several reasons, very
easily recognized, why the response
10 the child labor appeal has not been
immediate.
One. The very fact that the little
ones have been worked in our mines
and mills and sweatshops for years
makes the plea for them seem not
so pressing as any new need brought
To our attention.
Two. The general caution in
money matters is causing all benevo-
lent work in the country TO suffer.
Three. The appeal for those suf-
fering from the horrors of war makes
pressing demands Oh our hearts and
purses. The cry of widows and home
less children begging for bread must
not be ignored. To us, the only
great nation not drawn into the hor-
rOrs of war. comes the duty. the privi-
lege, to help and to give, and to
give thanks that We have IL to give"
The test OF loyalty, as to where to
give, Is not so sharp as II would
seem on first thought. Millions are
needed for the Belgians. Starvation
is 4 universally recognized horror.
Few words are needed TO picture IT,
Every hamlet in the country, every
school child. has been reached and IL
eager to add to the fund. IL has also
won, all are gratified TO note, support
OF the huge Rockefeller foundation
which, according to reports, offers
10 expend million dollars a month,
II necessary, toward the Belgian re-
lief work.
But we will not, while relieving dis
tress abroad, forget the very neces-
sary constructive work to relieve
doors.
Compared with the appalling
amount of money needed in the war
country. the help asked from Man.
kato citizens for the working chill.
dren is like crumbs from the rich
mans table. Several hundred dol
lars from Mankato would be TO the
national child labor committee an
encouragement, a help, which might
change the whole course of the big
fight We must wage to save the little
ones from the industrial conflict in
this country, by getting through con-
gress the federal child labor bill in
troduced through the effort OF this
committee. II will bring health. hap
piness, yes, life itself to many hun
dreds OF our own needy children.
Child labor is not a horror that
can be depicted in a few words
Painstaking. continued educational
work is needed to make people I'M
derstand what II means to the chill
dren, TO the community. to the ma
ton. Only when We bring our ex-
hibit and reach personally those who
can understand and give, can we ex-
pect help for the children's cause.
Seven-eighths of Mankato's people
have not yet seen the exhibit at the
library. The splendid publicity given
the subject by the press of Man
kato the past two weeks has not been
consummated by personal contact
with your readers.
The good ladies who make up our
Mankato membership committee have
put in such valuable time, acting as
hostesses al the exhibit and In max
ing the work known through their
clubs. churches. church organizations,
that the final result will rot be with
held. Once Manksto's citizens real
lie what II means for little children
In their own country TO be stunted
and twisted by long hours of toll.
they will not refuse them the mod
est help we ask-no matter how gen.
erously and rightly they reply to
other calls: for we all know that
the legend Of the widows cruise Is
ever true. Sincerely yours. Josephine
j. Eschenbrenner. membership secre-
tary, national child labor committee.