The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-22
Children Under IA Can Be
Employed in State.
They Can Work as Messengers
and Bell Hops.
NO PERMIT is NECESSARY
Attorney General Makes Rul-
ing on Law Today.
Children Amy Age Can Be EN-
plOyed in Stores.

T The state today found a big, glar-
ing hole in its new child labor law.
Under a ruling by S. NJ. Brewster.
attorney general children under six
teen years old may work in messenger
service, in hotels and restaurants and
in mercantile establishments without
permits. The supposed fourteen-year
minimum is not in the law as affect
ing these classifications of labor
Brewster's ruling today is the most
| severe shock of the year to the state
| labor department 1t means that one
of the most sacred provisions in the
new law is not effective and does not
apply to labor of children outside fac
tories and hazardous occupations. No
matter what the individual law
makers may have intended or thought
they were doing, they overlook ed
some very important matters in the
passage of the bill. On the other
hand, there is lurking suspicion that
child labor bill that removes most of
its vital features.
Hole a Big One.
A number of the general safeguards
for child labor remain in the law.
But these general provisions do not
cover hole thru which employers
can drive a street car.
Under the Brewster ruling all chill
dren of any age may work in messen-
| ger, hotel, restaurant or mercantile
service without providing permits
from superintendent of public schools.
! The provision which the labor depart
ment insisted should go n the law
| does not seem to be there. That pro-
vision prohibite the working of chill
| dren under fourteen years old. They
/ wanted provision which would al
low certain work under school per-
mits during certain periods. But the
| fourteen year minimum is absent as
applied to general lclassifSeatfens of
! child labor.
There appears to be nothing to do
but await the coming of the next leg
islature. Then the law makers may
may fix it much as they did last win
ter-by leaving so many holes that
i the bill looks like a Swiss cheese rath-
| era than a welfare measure.
Labor Department Law.
| All during the recent legislative ses-
sion the state labor department sweat
| blood in its efforts to secure the pass
age of a child labor la v that was just
right. When they finally put their
o. X. on an agreed bill. the legisla-
ture passed the measure without vast
| ing much time in oratory. Now the
| law needs the attention of skillful leg
lslative surgeons to restore it to
strength and happiness.
Under the general provisions of the
| law; children cannot work during the
school term. Neither can they be en-
ployed except between the hours OF
| 7 Il. m. and p. m. Employers must
also post notices showing hours OF
employment and time off for lunch.
But that is about all.
1t is the dropping of the minimum
age limit from the mercantile, hotel
restaurant and messenger classified
tions that threatened to give state Ia
Dor department workers apoplexy. The
law remains strict and rigid as barring
hazardous occupations. But young
ster in school can wiggle his fingers al
| the superintendent and work during
the open season whether dear teacher
likes it or not.