Evening star., 1915-01-31
IN TWO PARTS-PART l

/ Child Labor League, good nickel to get Lonny
to pose for him. Fortunately he swift worker,
or the investment might have proved total loss.
Camera persona non gratd on the grounds OF
the Olympic Cotton Mills. 1t wasn't more than hve
seconds after the lens shutter had clicked that hairy
arm reached of the mill doorway and yanked Lonny
inside
An instant later the raw-boned owner of the hairy
arm darted out of the doorway 1t the benev
olent intention of Lonnys foreman to smash the cam
era over its owners head. Bart Williams ten-year ap-
premiership staff photographer on metropolitan
newspaper was not in vain. On occasions making
getaway was just important making negative.
He a good fifty yards in the lead, travelling on
fourth speed he left the mill grounds The foreman
traed far the gate; but paused there, d1scour-
aged After Kidding himself of few profane thoughts
on the Photographic profession in general, and the
speedy Williams in particular, he felt better Lonny
foreman was philosopher in his way.
He was satisfied that pictures had been taken in
side the mill After all, child slave photographed
away from the machinery that is grinding its birth
right doesn't mean much; while puny body sllhou-
cited against whrng bobbins and spinning looms may
make some supersenstive souls faint-or angry.
Yet it the particular photograph OF Lonny Lar
kins that caused Bruce Benton to go to the little town
of Greenfield to begin campaign upon which he had
set his heart also it nearest the heart OF Helen
Kennedy. 1t not the kind of campaign, however,
that he had planned in the days when he was teaching
the officials of the Clifton Light & Power Company
the simple lesson of the economy of business honesty
for which he had charged the modest OF fifty thou
sand dollars.
al can't start the big national movement Bruce
told the girl he loved. all have to give it up
"Give it up?' She was startled. That isn't like
you, Boy"
"I haven't money enough, he explained
"You have fifty thousand dollars and"
"Just two and half cents for each of the two million
child slaves scattered through forty-tWo States 1t
isn't enough Dear
"Not for another perhaps; but for you-'
"Oh I'm going to make fight he said smilngly.
@Onlv it is going to be little fght-against
instead of an institution He handed Helen the pic
ture of Lonny, the doffer boy that Bart Williams had
snapped. @Our fight begins with him."
The girl looked at the picture curously She
underszed youngster staring at her with eyes that
seemed uncannily shrewd in small But he did not
look specially pul. (She could not see the machinery
that claimed him while other children were at play.)
"Why with him particularly"
Because no one else cares rap about him. tor one
reason And besides the he works for needs
lesson
THE field secretary of the Child Labor League had
told Benton about John Royce, Lonny's employer
@That's the kind of thing we're up against he said
with snap of his strong, fighting jaw, "a one-nan
monopoly. Royce not only the Olympic Cotton
Mills, but the whole town of Greenfield. After long
and bitter fight had his State pass drastic lava
Wild anarchstic law. 1t raised the age limit for child
labor from twelve fourteen years, and limited the
hours of work to ten day"
@You can't enforce that law?'
Enforce it, The field secretary laughed "About
all do is to read it. There six hundred mills
and factories in the State, and the Commissioner of
Labor has assistant to help him inspect them. Take
this man Royce: we know he is making joke of the
law; but can't prove it
"But public opinion Benton began.
"Public opinion" snorted the secretary. "Royce
makes it. He carries it around in his vest pocket like
his watch and uses it when he needs it Public opinion
-bah.'