Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-23
CHILD-LABOR IN THE PLAYHOUSE
What Judge Lindsey and Colorado Have Done Iberate M
Stage-chd Without Deprvng Him of His Lfe-art-Regua
tion by the Juvenile Judge Instead of Prohibition
Bv

gled by prohibition which has no effect
where 1t is really needed.
In the remaining Al States there are M
laws really worth mentioning either to uro.
tect or to prohibit. One result, Of course. ID
the same as in Massachusetts and 2IllInols.
children may appear under the worst possibIs
conditions. For the rest, worthy drama h
simply benefiting at the expense Of the AZ.
plotted children in the wrong sort Of theatres
That is only part of the situation in the
States outside Colorado and Louisiana. Much
worse, there is no guarantee of proper con.
ditions of employment. Children are acting
in companies from which they should be *.
cluded, under circumstances neither morally
nor hygienically good. Their hours Of per.
formance are not strictly limited. They are
not given proper educational Opportunities
And their pay-except for few phenom.
enally gifted youngsters on Broadway--a
far below decent standard They are sin.
ply exploited.
Real Protection for the Child
And now what have Colorado and Louis.
ana done about It? They have adopted laws
meeting certain general conditions outlined
by Judge Lindsey. They do not prohibit
they license An authority such as the ID.
for stage children to appear within the Stats
under certain conditions fixed by the court
The manager must present bond OF from
$4,000 to $4,000, underwritten by a reliable
surety company. Any violation of the con,
ditions renders the bond forfeit with 10 fur.
ther litigation than brief hearing bstofs
the court issuing the permit.
The conditions proposed by Judge Lindsey
n1p H. T. Co.,. -
them he has already secured, though be
plan, even in Colorado. is not yet fully real
lied. The salary first OF all, must be such
as the. courts think fair; in Colorado It y Ct
least $25 a week. Proper guardianship
parental or otherwise-is secured. II the
mother or guardian. travelling with the child
is not fitted to teach 1t, the manager must
supply tutor. The hours Of appearances
must allow of certain minimum for school,
ing, and performances are limited 70 eight
week. Certificates Of health requiremenIs
as to sleeping cars and the inspection o.
lodgings are also provided for.
Manifestly some such national law would
solve the situation in the whole touring sys-
tenn. Getting it is another matter, Judge
Lindsey realizing this, has worked out
scheme by which the enactment Of such
law in no more than four Of the impofsans
States would insure its enforcement in ne
rest. For manager refusing TO agree 2
conditions set by a general committee Q
New York, created by the Juvenile Courts
and the friendly managers, would ind him
self cut on from many profitable bookings
And any manager under bond in one or inssa
States would have to live up 10 the Alpa
conditions in other States lest It be LofisA
A Haven From immortality
Judge Lindsey has left no loopholss r
the managers; as to the objeetors, he r.
carried the war into Africa. The immoFanK
OF the stage is a very old bugaboo, alrsAQ
exorcised-and justly in all except the ehsap9
class OF production. from which judge llao'
sey would eliminate the child. Judge llao'
sey finds more TO corrupt youth IN The org.
nary conditions of home and school life q
knows the city streets. He has talked g e.
little criminals" that come to him po4
homes" where the mother is either absent
at work or absorbed in self-indulgence eaa
that go to schools where children mingl' 2
discriminatory under lax conditions re e
seen children OF the same age and the 80
class who have spent their time In the lHz
atre under the constant care and guidans'
hAoNASA oA Nutuhs anu TINS - 80 -
conclusion:
l make bold to suggest that there
be as much II not more, logic IN pfg"ers
child labor laws against children s9it.
our public schools as against eniiafsn
on the stage. j believe that the woie
the average child In most Of our
schools and the dangers 70 its nof1
are far greater than with the child eA
stage under that kind Of safesnate r.
protection that / am proposins ,.,.
The final case for the staee-ehila sn-
ented boy or girl freed. as We AZ ene.'.
10 follow where the spark Of genius tH
Is much the case for the new sort q .7s
There must be more Of creatss Pyt
o. unwilling tasks. There must e
timaey with The beautiful, mere 9'' '..|..
creation. The child must re- lAs
friendshio a. a slnsls aalnd fhfeasA Ias
~ culture lhat the beacon nFss e *st
nlumInea