Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-07

VXTASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 3.-On September
wv 1 the child labor law went into effect
The United States government has consti-
uted itself the guardian of all children under four
teen years of age and some children under sixteen
years of age, depending certain circumstances.
1t will not permit any child under fourteen TO
work in cannery, workshop or cotton mill, and 1t
forbds any child under sixteen to work in mine
or quarry.
Many parents who for years have enjoyed a
comfortable income by the hire of their progeny
we'll as many employers who have enjoyed an even
comfortable income by the same crcum-
stanace, are indignant. In many places parents
constructing clever plans for evading it, and in
North Carolina the matter has already been taken
to court the grounds that the law is unconstl-
tutional.
visit to the United States children's bureau,
which has been charged with the execution OF the
law, might prove enlightening to the North caro-
lima agtators and save rebellious parents a great
deal of useless thinking The children's bureau has
added whole new department to its organization
for the sole purpose of seeing that the child labor
law is enforced. There professional investlga-
tors, detectives lawyers doctors and socologsts in
this department, all trained specialists in child
welfare work.
The chief is a Chicago women, Miss Grace
Abbot, who was associated with Jane Adams at
Hull House for several years. Il am very glad the
matter has been taken to court, she asserted when
asked what she thought of the North Carolina &C
ton. The sooner it is fought through the courts,
the sooner we will get decision" Obviously
Miss Abbot is not kept awake nights worrying
about adverse decision.
Miss Julia Lathrop, head of the children's
bureau, deserves great credit for the law she mas
long been investigating the question Of infant NOR
tally in various parts of the country with an idea
to improving, if possible of the alarming con-
ditions that impair child life
In this Investigation Miss Lathrop soon discov-
cred that the great secret OF infant mortality was
economic conditions. She found hundreds OF homes
where fathers made such low wages that mothers
were compelled to work too The babies were left
at home alone all day and at infrequent inter-
walls; the homes themselves we're naturally I'M
kempt, the ventilation inadequate and the flies
prolific. Consequently, many babies die, which is
fortunate for those who remain are escorted to the
industrial market at the earliest age at which they
can be struggled Unusually under twelve-and are
forced to become a part of the Industrial routine
In some states this means-or meant up to Septem-
Der working ten hours day, ten hours
night according to the shift The new federal law
establishes eight hours as the maximum working
day.
Now, of course, the great responsibility for
child labor rests upon the parents. They are usual
y quite willing to exploit their children for the
sake of increasing the family income. Many of them
are immigrants who neither read nor write,
and hence they do not the necessity of educa-
ton for the younger generation. The one thing
they recognize the value Of is money, and their
sole problem is earning it in the swftest and surest
way possible.
In this one particular the lower classes and the
upper classes meet on common ground 1t is the
parents of the middle class who put the value OF
children above money, who bring them into the
sacrifice to make them sturdy and well-educated
citizens. Nevertheless, many children of this class
also are in urgent need of governmental protection
it has recently been shown.
While the parents primarily responsible,
however, it is only through the employers that the
government can control the exploitation Of children
parents even in the face of a law to the contrary
would doubtless invent and connive ways of work