River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-08-09
New Laws on Child Labor.

New Laws on Child Labor.
One of the new laws of Wisconsin
that is beginning to attract statewide
interest is the new child labor law.
This measure attracted very little
| attention in either house of the legis-
lature and was passed without any op-
position. Now, however, many in
quiries are coming to the industrial
commission upon the scope of the new
law, and many manufacturers are en-
deavOring to ascertain what they must
do to comply with it's provisions.
Permits for Minors.
The most important change made is
that after September l. 1917, all minors
under seventeen years of age must Sc
cure permits to go to work. The only
exceptions are for farm work, for do
nestle service of a casual nature, and
for other kinds of domestic service in
cities in which there are no vocational
schools. Under the old law only chill
dren up to sixteen years of age had to
secure permits. AS originally passed
by the legislature, the new law pro-
Flded that children up to eighteen years
OF age must secure permits. 1t also
provided that the act should go into eff
feet Immediately upon passage. Upon
representation by the industrial COM
mission that these provisions would
work great hardships to employers, the
governor refused to sign this measure
until the legislature had amended it to
make the permit age seventeen instead
OF eighteen years and not to have the
new law become effective until Sep
TENDER 1, 1917
Old System Confusing.
All permits hereafter are to be issued
by the industrial commission and by
such judges and other persons as the
| commission may designate to issue
| permits. Previously, county and mu-
nicipal judges have had joint authority
with the commission to issue child
labor permits This dual system led
to much confusion and frequently per-
mitS were issued illegally with the re
suit that the employers Of such chill
dren subjected themselves to heavy
penalties. Arrangements are now be-
ing made by the commission for the
appointment of judges and other per-
sons in each community to issue child
labor permits.
Another change made by the new
law is that striking out the provision
of the old law allowing employers to
work children of permit age 81 hours
per day on five days of the week, pro-
vided they were given Saturday after
moons off. Under the new law,
straight eight-hOur day for children I'M
der sixteen years of age is provided,
with a limit of 4S hours per week.
Increase Schooling Hours.
The legislature has also increased
the hours per week during which chill
dren working under permits must go to
continuation school. Hitherto it has
/ been five per week, hereafter it will be
eight per week for children under six
teen years Of age and four per week
for children from sixteen to seven
teen years of age.
The new law makes necessary i'm
portant changes in administration. The
Industrial commission is now working
upon new rules regarding proof of age
and new forms of permits to comply
with the amended law.
Conferences are being held in Wash
ingtOn under the auspices of the United
/ States department Of labor, to draft
rules and regulations for enforcement
CT the federal child labor law. 1t is
the intention of the industrial commits
sion to follow the federal rules as
closely as possible, so that no difficulty
will result because there are now both
a state and federal child labor law.
To Warn Employers.
The industrial commission is pre-
pairing literature for distribution
among employers to advise them OF
the new law and it warns them that
they must be careful to comply with
all of it's provisions. This is very es-
sential because the new federal law
| imposes a very severe penalty Of eX-
| clusiOn from interstate commerce of
the products of manufa ctories which do
not strictly comply with all of it's pro-
visions, and in addition, provides for
fines and Imprisonment The new work
mems compensation act of Wisconsin
provides that minors employed with
out a permit, who are injured in the
! course of their employment, may re-
cover triple damages.
Be a Brother to Some Soldier.
The stay-at-home rangers are ap-