Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-22
1900 LOSE JOBS
HERE BECAUSE OF
CHILD LABOR LAW
Children Discharged by
Employers as Result of
Statute
ENFORCED JANUARY
City and State Officials Willing
to Give Ample Time for Re-
adjustment of Situation

Twelve hundred children. most of them
employed In the textile mills of this
city. have been discharged recently by
Their employers In anticipation Of the
new chilu labor law that goes into ef-
feet January T. 1915 Figures COMPLIED
by Henry J. Gideon, chief of the Bureau
Of Compulsory Education. show that 1910
children of school age obtained working
certificates in 1914
Mr. Gideon says that there Is n wide
spread miscouception OF the new law
among employers Of child labor in the
city. and of the methods of its enforce
ment at its inception.
He finds employers everywhere ex-
ceedingly anxious to comply with the
law in every particular. and many Of
them fearful Of infringing its provisions
in any way.
There will be no drastic enforcement
Of the law at the outset he said Ample
time will &c given to comprehend It's
workings.
Until an employer Of child labor is
notified by the bureau that provision
has been made for a continuation school
10 accommodate the children employed
designated, the law will not be enforced
against him. but when he is so notified
then the responsibility Is up to him
In other words until the machinery to
put the law into full effect is properly es-
tablished common sense rather than the
letter of the law will obtain, Speaking
of some of the problems to be met in en-
forcing the law, Mr. Gideon gave as an
instance the Baldwin Locomotive Works.
At the plant here there are only five
boys working under the employment cer-
tlflcate plan-that Is, five boys between
IA and l6 years old.
If the plant had boys there would he
no difficulty in the situation. The law
requires that such boys must spend eight
hours or one whole cay in school each
weeks As there are nv" school days each
week. by sending one boy one day each
week. Baldwin's would have the services
Of only four boys each day, but by en-
ploying six and alternating them the
plant can send all six boys to school for
the legal time and nave the full services
of five boys each day.
The statistics of the Bureau of Com
pulsory Education bring out some strange !
facts i'm connection with this new child |
labor law.
Employers find a scarcity of children |
and are appealing 20 the bureau to pro-
vide them. There are already % such APP
Asked how he accounted for such
condition i'm view OF the apparent dis
charge of 1900 children, Mr.. Gideon said
that the 1900 were no doubt absorbed
in other lines of employment
Upto today the bureau has issued dur
Ing the month of December 200 more GER
tificates for employment than on the same
date in December a year ago.
The new law will apply to all children
lolding employment certificates, no mat
er In what occupation they are engaged
md these occupations embrace such wide
y divergent pursuits as agriculture
and mechanical trade and
domestic. personal and
service.
II may surprise many people to know
hat during the year ending June 30, |
9li 1875 children In the city of Phla-
ephia were engaged In agriculture. and !
resent statistics show that during 1915 a |
arger number went back to the farm"
The Bureau of Compulsory Education |
lot only issues employment certificates |
o each of the 49, 10 or more children
but when necessary assists !
n finding employment for many of them.
I also answers any and all questions in !
eference to the new law and its ad-
whether asked by employers
+ parents.
Many of the large department stores !
re making provision for continuation
chools in the stores, TO accommodate the
hildren employed who would come with !
n the scope of the law. {