Evening journal., 1917-11-13
EOIS TRY TO EVADE
Child LABOR LEW
Inspector Grartlmd Cites
Cases TO State Labor
Commission
PARENTS NOT AWARE
AB JUT REQUIREMENTS

At the meeting Of the state Labor
Commission in the once Of Charles
Warner, chairman, this afternoon,
state Labor Inspector Charles II.
Grautland submitted report Of the
Inspection Of child labor As a result
n a recommendation OF the recent
conference IN Washington regarding
he national child labor law, the re-
port sets forth that the state child
abor inspector has been commissioned
by the secretary Of labor as an in
spector under the Federal Law 10 act
IN conjunction with the inspectors Of
the Child l r3or Division OF the Depart
ment Of Labor
Since the Federal Law became effect
I've there has been a decided movement
on the part Of children, who are ap-
preaching their sixteenth birthday, or
sre well developed for their age, to
avoid the use Of an employment certi-
0eate due to the fact that they can
command a better wage by reason Of
a higher rate per hour and a long
sr hour work day" says Inspector
Grantland. Employment agents Of
manufacturing plants where this class
OF labor generally applies are finding
themselves unable TO- cope with the sit
uation and the scarcity Of labor makes
II most diflcult 10 control"
Mr.. Grantland cited an instance Of
1--WE boys recently found working in an
establishment. all Of whom had
claimed to be over sixteen years Of
age and some seventeen 10 being the
policy Of this concern not to employ
anyone under sixteen years Of age. the
boys, although their services We're
badly needed were discharged. Only
two Of them have applied for
certificates and only one has secured
the same.
within the last few weeks. two
prosecutions have been brought
against parents who had permitted.
by means Of these cards. the mis- epre-
sentation Of the ages Of their chill
dren TO an employment agent who had
doubted the statement Of TIE children
when application was made for. work -
Inspector Grantland said: in one
case it developed that the card had
been signed by another boy entirely
outside the family and In the other
case a member Of the family had niled
out the card and the father signed 80
without giving the matter any thought
as to its correctness. We have been
engaged during the last six weeks IN
following up some two hundred on
more children whose certificates have
been returned to the files OF the issuing
officer and no effort made to secure
their Resistance. This Investigation
has brought US strongly to the opinion
that both parents and children are in.
different TO the provisions OF the laW
so long as they can secure employ
ment at the highest wages possible
and get away with Il.
"The claim has been advanced by tn
managers OF the telegraph offices tina
they are Unable to give the messenge
service demanded in Wilmington Of
account OF the abnormal labor condi
lions. The employment Of girls 81
day messengers has proven a failure
as has also the effort TO get men o
the elder class 10 do night service. w
have been asked that boys over Il
years Of age be allowed TO do mes
senger service at - sht In connection
with their duties as clerks.
Our inability to control the newsbol
rlluuAANAA fANrHN ny NncNiN nNAlNM w
are free to confess says Mr.. Grant
land. LAS regulation Of the newsbo,
does not seem TO have the approval O
the public generally. the prosecution
Of parents would no doubt cause con
sideration criticism The alternative !
the prosecution Of the agencies throug
which the means TO violate the lay
are obtained. From our observation
we are convinced that other large
cities in this section OF the countr
have not as yet been able TO solve thi
problem satisfactorily.
During the last five months twely
special permits have been issued an
two old ones renewed OF the twenty
two special permits that are now az
tive. but three Of the children 10 whoi
they were issued are under "A years {
age. Applications for special permit
are confined mostly TO children VIII
are backward in their studies OF al
beyond the cntrol Of the teachers. on
OF the problems Of the chairman an
The inspectors in deciding application
for special permits is the request th'
often comes from social workers an
school authorities for the issuance
such permits"