New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-06
Unions, in Child Labor
Meeting, Arraign Spe-
cial Interests.
FIGHT is BETWEEN
HUMANITY AND GREED
Committee Replies to Textile
Associations Messages, Which
Took Exceptions.
Nv LILLIAN ID. VALID.
IN, TELEGRAPH To The Tribunal

Asheville. n. c., Feb. 5.-N last
nights session Of the Child Labor Con-
ference organized labor had the moor
J.F. Barrett, Of the local Typographical
union. made n stirring arralgnment OF
the snecial interests that have opposed
child labor legislation in this state ana
said that organized labor here, as
everywhere. stood as one man Tor the
nassaoe Of the Federal child labor bill.
"If the Federal government could
free the negro slaves. who were not
even American citizens, why can 1t not
free our modern slaves, tho little citi-
zens Of the United States?' Mr.. Bar
rctt asked.
George l.. Berry, president Of tho In
ternational Pressmen's Union and can
didate for Governor Of Tennessee last
wear. said that organized labor stands
for the elimination OF children from
industry. the shortening Of hours Of
labor for women and the general up
building of tho economic condition Of
the people
when It is a fight between humanity
md greed he said Eve vote for hu-
manity, and the best thing We can do
with dollars-and-cents Congressman
Is 10 leave him at home in peace"
lie cited as instances Of the progress
OF the South along lines of humane
legislation the facts that eight out Of
the ten Congressman from Tennessee
voted for the Heating child labor bill
last Wednesday, that Tennessee has
recently passed a compulsory education
law that has increased her school at
tendance by IL per cent, and that she
has passed a mothers pension law for
certain counties and statewide free
textbook law.
81 hope the child labor committee
will keep on holding its meetings in
the South" said Mr.. Berry, until We
are all aroused 10 the progressive pro-
gramme Of social legislation advocated
by this committee and followed in part,
at least, By Tennessee"
Further Messages from Textile Body.
The Southern Textile Association
sent the committee another telegram
last night and q third this morning
In the first message they asked why
the committee gives no financial aid TO
poor working children, and why, II We
are sincere, we framed the Heating
bill so that il does not affect tenement
home work in New York, where our
home Office is. The answer was that
the burden of poverty should fall on
bo .rraalfb ra.Eor than
group, or upon the children, and that
the Heating bill does apply 20 home
work
Last evening the session was inter
rupted TO reply to a second telegram
from the Textile Association, saying
that they knew OF no commonwealth
which assumed the burden of family
support, that they were opposed TO
child labor, but could not subscribe TO
the arbitrary terms set by this com
mittee, giving Pennsylvania as an eN-
ample of state now suffering from q
child labor law forced on them by US,
and asking what word in the Heating
bill refers 10 home work. The answer
was as follows: Twenty states have
mothers pension laws for needy fam
lies. The Pennsylvania cry is false
alarm. The workshop covers the tene-
ment"
This morning a third telegram was
received, but 10 showed such obvious
transformation as 20 mothers pensions,
child labor laws and the Heating bill
that the conference voted TO answer
IL by mail. sending the Textile Asso-
citation such publications and facts as
would clear the matter up. The atti-
tude of the local press toward these
fa1aorap,g IA Interesting
the local sentiment seems TO be that
the Textile Association has been guilty
OF gross discourtesy.
Defends Position of Cotton Men.
That all cotton manufacturers arc
not so prejudlced as the incident of the
. kilograms might seem 20 indicate was
proved this morning. when the secre-
tary and treasurer of the Southern Cot
ton Manufacturers Association, diff
ferent organization from the Textile
Association, Mr. Miller, appeared be-
fore the conference TO defend in a most
frank. friendly manner the position Of
the cotton men. At the close Of Mr.
Miller's remarks Mrs. Kelley, Of the
Consumers League. asked him 70
answer three questions: First, why the
cotton. men did not put the children IN
school, if they believed in education;
second. why they opposed state legisla-
ton as well as Federal legislation. and.
third, why he stated that the eight
hour day was impossible in the South
In reply Mr. Miller said
"As 10 the eght-hour day. II Is i'm
possible for financial reasons. We are
rot ready in the South to compete with
the North on the eght-hour day. We
depend on the ten-hour day TO put US m
position 10 compete with the North.
for 100000 means a great deal more
down here than it does up North" Mr..
Miller was interrupted at this point.
and go many questions were fred at
him that il was finally decided 20 ask
him TO take Mrs. Kelley's three ques-
tons and prepare written answer 10
them which will be incorporated in he
proceedings of the conference.
This mornings session was get
together conference" with reports from
local workers and discussion Of local
problems Mrs. Kelley told some start
ling stories OF the conditions surround
ing child actors IN motion picture com
panies. and advocated a change IN the
New York law in this regard. A. l..
Trick, Of Iowa. told Of his efforts to en-
force the child labor law in canneries.
Richard K. Conant, Of massachusetts.
and Douglass T. Falconer, Of New Jer-
sey. reported on the success Of the
eight-hour day IN their states, sue
cess SO complete as 20 suggest that the
South need not fear the eight-hOur
clause in the Heating Owen bill after
all.
500-Pound Cake for Travellers.