Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-26
PLEADS TO SAFEGUARD
CHILDHOOD OF AMERICA
owen u. Lonejoy Fears Boys and
Urls May Suffer Itigors Of Indus.
trial Life II War Comes.
HAPPENING IN EUROPE NOW
thousands Displaced From School
because Buildings Must BE Used
lor Military Purposcs-Work Long
Hours I'm Munition Factories.

BALTIMORE MD, March 25.-Dan-
ger that American children will be
made TO suffer tho r;gors OF indus
,rias life IL tho United States should
otcohe Involved In war was pointed
""' In IN nhdrca:' by Over u. Love
Joy Of New York. general secretary
"' the National Child Labor Commit
&c. AT mass-mcctinE held here to-
Jay under the auspices Of the Ma
l"nai Conference on Child Labor.
Speaking on safeguarding Childhood
IN Peace or War" MIR. Lovcjoy said
In part:
our natural admiration for Amer
lea and typical sense OF national SUI
periority tempt us to believe that no
IlGors OF international conflict could
icad us to neglect our children, and
that we shall not dea, with our chill
oren as European nations have dealt
WIN theirs. III the same crisis comes.
What has happened in Europe? In
ono area 1900 children out OF $1,000
nave been displaced from school be-
cause the buildings have been takcn
over Tor military purposes. Some $780,
opo children between twelve and iif-
Teen left school TO enter Industry in
1910 ana probably more than that in
1916. Between 10000 and 200. 900 chill
dren eleven and twelve years old are
AT work There /. an abnormal de-
mand for boy labor: abnormally hicl,
wages are paid to children. The com
initt"e on health OF inunitioil-workcra
states that boy workers are 'dri wing
on their strength aud is anxious TO
KNOW what Will become Of tho boys
after the war And when VIC read
that munition factories have Increased
tn" hours Of labor for children.to six.
'y-seven "A week, that night and sun
DAY labor arc not unk nown. and that
inc committee recommends that boys
under sixteen and girls under eighteen
bc not employed more than twelve
hours day. We can imagine the cf-
lcct OF such conditions on the health
or tho children. These conditions pre-
vail not in England alone. but in all
the warning countries.
The breaking down OF cducatiou
health and other conservation stand
ards must not lac permitted here. Al
ready bill is in the New York State
Legislature cNcnp,inr from tho hours
Of labor law women aud girls over
sixteen working in muniiion factories.
Reports from Connecticut assert that
since tho state Law does not nN the
hour % beginning work. but only the
c'ostng time al night. munition fac
tories are sending their women and
child workers out at 10 o'clock At night
only 10 set them TO work again i'm
mcdtately after midnight. Whether
these reports arc autheutic or not. |
cannot SAY. but the tendency is un-
questionable.
What may we anticipate when the
real stress comes. our school rooms
viii tc deserted. agencies for the pro-
lection and study OF the health, morais
and Development OF little children will
lie closed, and the exposure OF chill
drcn to the rigorS Of Industrial life
Will bc based solely on the high mo-
live Of patriotic service. The children
Of the present generation Will suffer
AN irreparabie loss unless those OF US
who have dedicated ourselves to their
protection keep our heads clear and
our motives unmiXcd. determining that
Whatever else happens, all other treas
urc. all other forms OF wealth, all
other methods OF dcfens. be sacrificed
before VIC compel the children of Amer
tea 10 pass through tile fire.