Evening star., 1917-11-04
Children in
Farm Work.

1oAM "oIh. labor of children. This
phase of the war situation is especially
interesting our own child labor experts in
the childrens bureau, Department OF
Labor. There is no question but what
England is putting her all into this war.
and if she has found, in spite Of the in
creasing strain of the passing months.
that children's welfare has been needless
ly sacrificed, surely the testimony Of her
officials is timely and important for US.
England has been granting special ex-
emptionS from school attendance. Be
tween the outbreak Of the war and the
first of May this year $4,000 children of
school age have been excused from school
for farm work.
Our own government officials have been
| watching this particular situation with
interest. The granting or withholding of
| exemptions has been in the hands of the
local education authorities. and their
policy has not been uniform. Many of
consistently refused to excuse children
from school. The farmers of these dis
tricts have clamored as loudly as others
for child helpers, but it appears, our ex-
perts say. that they have managed with
out the children when the school authori-
ties stood firm.
The board of education during the first
year of the war advised the local authori-
tleS IndI eXe1nptlOnS SnOuiu De granted
only to individual children after personal
investigation of each case; no general
breakdown of the laws in any district was
intended, the employment of children of
school age should be regarded as an ex-
ceptional measure and should be allowed
only where the authorities were satisfied
that no other labor was available. The
authorities were to ascertain that appli-
cation had been made to the labor ex-
changes with an offer of adequate wages.
Ty,y, oac ha fn
children If older children past the age of
compulsory attendance were available;
the authority should secure particulars of
the work. the wages offered and the
period for which the labor was required: ::
the work should be light and suitable to
the capacity of the child. year later
the board of education urged stiffening
of these conditions. That the best inter-
sacrificed in many cases is realized. and
such amends as possible are now being
made.
In common with other branches of the
military service the ordnance division
of the War Department is
Ordinance of interest at this time. The
chief of the ordnance of the
oouIses' Army is charged with the
duty of procuring. by purchase or manu-
facture. and distributing the necessary
ordnance and ordnance stores for the
Army and National Guard.
Ordnance and ordnance stores include
cannon and artillery vehicles and equip
ment: apparatus and machines for the
service and maneuver of artillery: small
arms and ammunition. and accouter-
ments. What is not generally believed
to be in the province of this bureau.
5ut which is, is included horse equip
ments and harness for field artillery.
and horse equipments for cavalry and
other mounted men: tools. machinery
and materials for ordnance service, and
all property of whatever nature (includ-
ing specially equipped motor trucks,
motor cycles, tractors and railroad cars)
supplied to the military establishment
by the ordnance department.
More than 500 students. installed on
the campuses of eight American COL
leges, are now taking the preparatory
course to fit them for ordnance work in
the enlisted Reserve Corps. These
students are training to become store
keepers in that branch of the service
which will supply the new American
armies with guns and munitions.
The primary courses We're opened last
spring, and each course is six weeks in
duration. After a student is graduated
ne is sent for a. higher course of train
ing. also lasting some six weeks, to
Department. The men are enlisted as
rrivates but certain percentage of
those graduated from the arsenals are
recommended for promotion to non-conl-
miSSioned grades.
In connection with those who have had
some training and who wish commits
sions either captains or first lieu
tenants the department wishes to have
mechanical engineers. chemical engi-
neers specially qualified in explosive
chemistry, and metallurgical engineers:
also men with special knowledge of the
manufacture of leather goods and cloth
material. In accepting men for these
commissions the department prefers
graduates of a recognized college or uni
versity. and also prefers those who have
had sufficient experience in the manu-
facture or investigation of ordnance
material to qualify them to take up at
once such duties in the ordnance de-
Dartment