davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16

more liable to accident than adults.
They are not old enough to realize the
danger and they take chances that
man would not take. In addition they
are a menace to those employed near
them, as they may cause accidents by
their carelessness.
Many Of the boys who spend ten
hours daily in the blackness Of the
mine are lank and undeveloped some
are an@mic. and all show some effects
Of being deprived of the sunlight. In
a shaft mine bov named Frank, about
fourteen years old, was found, and it
was learned that he had been in the
mine for three years, helping his
father pick coal and load it on the
cars. Some time before one of his
legs had been so badly crushed that
he spent year in the hospital. Arlie,
another boy Of the same age, shovel!ed
coal In this mine, where his father and
his two brothers also worked. One Of
the most monotonous forms of work
IMAGINABLE is that of the door-boy or
"trapper," whose sole duty is to open
and close the door Of an entry when
the cars pass through.
In one mine q trapper named Alfred,
about fourteen years old. had tended
doors for several years during vacation.
When asked whether he preferred to
attend school because it was more fun
than mining he replied, "This yere
work hain't no fun!" Another little
fellow was found who looked to be
about twelve years old, and who had
been trapping for more than six years.
Even when the state does set six
teen-year limitation on the age Of boys
to be employed in mines the existence
Of the law is no guarantee that it will
be obeyed. If the boy brings an affi-
davit that he has reached a. certain
age the foreman is inclined to accept
the "proof" Of age. When one of the
foremen was asked whether the boys
lied to secure employment, he said,
eyes. they do; but if they bring an
affidavit that lets US out" 1t is the
letter of the law only that is regarded.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16

the same age period have an even
higher death rate.
Although the children are employed
in relatively hazardous occupa-
tions, the accident rate for the cotton
mill child is more than double that Of
the older worker Their work brings
them into the vicinity Of moving belts
and the danger Of their being caught
is quite as great, and, if caught, their
slight weight makes them much more
liable to serious accident. Besides,
they are, Of course, less instinctively
careful about protecting themselves.
One child lost an arm in belt acci-
dent. No one sixteen and over had
ever suffered a similar accident. Sew
en- children lost fingers in gear acci-
dents.'
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
Unconsttutionality of Federal Law Allows Chill
dren Taken Out of Mine Mill and Cam
ming Shed To Be Sent Back to Work

ploying large numbers Of very young
children for cruelty long hours. Up to
the moment the Federal law was an
nulled the Children's Bureau, which
was charged with its enforcement, was
planning strict enforcement Of the
law in the canneries. But there will be
10 Federal inspectors to protect the
children this summer. On the other
hand. with the scarcity of food and the
great demand for labor, 1t Is probable
that more children than ever before
will go into the canneries, many of
them not over six years of age.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
Infants Work in
Canning Sheds

In an investigation that was made Of
the vegetable and fruit canneries in
New York State before the enactment
of the Federal law, 1856 children under
sixteen were found working. Of these
la1 were under ten and thirty were
only six years old. They were for the
most part working in the sheds where
tne vegetables are prepared for can
ming, and this work, it is claimed by
the employers. is more like a9ricult-
ural work than factory work; but it
seems as If the employers must be
quite lacking in any acquaintance with
agriculture, or else perhaps they have
not noticed the conditions under which
their child employees work!
The canning sheds are usually open
on one, two, three OK four sides, so
that the ventilation is good, as rule,
but it is easy to imagine the dampness
in rainy weather, and as the canning
season runs from the first of June to
the last of November, the thinly-clad
little bodies Of the workers must often
feel the cold.
No record is kept Of the hours of
labor of children in the sheds; SO far
as the Gamer is concerned, they are
free to come and 60 as they please.
Little Jack, aged twelve, was working
in bean cannery He got up one morn
ing at 3 a. m. and shipped beans from
4:3o a. m. to 10 p. M, with only few
minutes for supper. "My fingers is
BROKE" he told the investigator. He
said he was lawful tired" but his
mother made him work His sister
who was ten, could hardly keep her
eyes open and her mother scolded he1
constantly. The next morning the
/ Investigator found Jack sitting
wrapped up in big shawl with
his black eyes sagging out of his
head and his fingers done up in dirty
rag. They pulled him out of bed at 4
o'clock, he said, and his sister cried
but they had to go to work or get 6
beating. Little Jack is no exception
Milly, aged ten, went to work one da,
at 430 in the morning, and she stopped
work at 9:30 p. M; she worked tota
of twelve and one-half hours. The fol
lowing days she worked clever
and one-half hours. Three days late
her total was eleven hours, and tw,
days after that she worked from
o'clock in the morning until 10 at night
total Of sixteen and one-half hours.
These children were foreigners, an,
when the shippers are foreigners thei
exploitation is the rule and not the ex
ception. The Gamers keep the shed
open for labor and supply the beans o
corn. The parents see that the chill
dren are there to work. When tn
crops are coming in the Italian chill
dren are frequently reused at dawn
work in the sheds till it grows light
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
The Work Young
Children Do

The children's work in the mills is
not heavy, although constant watchful-
ness Is required. The duties of the
spinners, who are usually girls, consist
in watching for breaks in the cotton,
mending these and brushing the lint
from the frames. Each spinner tends
six or eight "sides," as the long rows
of spindles are called, and consequently
she must be on her feet nearly all the
time. A little girl of thirteen told the
investigator that she was not lilies
tired, that's ALL"
The small boys are employed for
"doffing"-that is, replacing the full
bobbins by empty ones. The same boys
are sometimes used for sweepers, but
usually special sweeper boys are en-
ployed.
But that the work is slight" is the
only thing that can be said for it. The
noise in the weaving rooms Is so loud
that it is almost impossible to speak
above it. The workers say, "Oh, you
git used to it,"
The air is filled with dust and lint;
the workers clothes are usually COW
cred with it. The heat and moisture
that are necessary to keep the cotton
! in workable condition add to the dis
comfort and unhealthiness Of the work
rooms. Whatever may be the cause
it Is certain that the death rate for
cotton mill operatives is unusually
/ high.
Approximately one in every two
deaths among cotton operatives be-
tween the ages of fifteen and forty
four is due to tuberculosis. In prac-
tically every age period the tubercu.
losis mortality rate Is higher among
cotton mill workers than among tbs
rest of the population.
In the case of women operatives
thirty-fve to forty-four years old il
is five times as high. In every case
respiratory diseases, nephritis and di-
gestive diseases leading-the mortality
rate for cotton workers is higher thar
for non-operatives. Boys between fif
teen and nineteen in cotton mills have
a death rate twice as high as that fol
non-operatives, and cotton mill girls Of
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
By OWEN r. LOVEJOY
Secretary of the National Child
Labor Committee

"HE Federal child labor law has
Drafted with the greatest care
by legal experts, passed upon by the
most brilliant constitutional lawyers in
Congress, and having behind it the tre-
mendously strong force of public opin
ion, there was every hope that the Su-
preme Court would And the law valid.
It was believed that the child laborers
Of America, too long neglected by In
divdual states, would at last receive
the protection OF the Federal govern
ment.
The law established similar stand
ards for all states-a fourteen-year
limit for factories, mills and canneries;
an eight-hour day and prohibition of
night work under sixteen, and e six
teen-year limit in mines. Any estab-
lishments which did not conform to
these standards could not ship their
goods in interstate commerce. What
the law virtually said was: If any state
permits the employment of twelve-year-
old children or lets them work eleven
hours a day, the products Of the fac
tories of that state must be consumed
by the people in that state-people in
other states will not use them.
What the Supreme Court says: The
Federal government cannot deny the
right of interstate commerce in order
to regulate child labor; only the state
has the power to regulate its own labor
conditions.
1t is possible, however, that way
will be found by which Uncle Sam may
be allowed to protect the lives and
happiness of Americas young citizens
1t is of the greatest Importance that
such a way be found at once, for in
this world crisis Federal protection of
children is imperative to insure effec-
tive control and uniform standards.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
From l04 to
The Icy Streets

Heat prostrations among the boys are
very frequent in the warmer weather.
and they complain of headaches. Sleep
lessness and exhaustion. But in the
winter they must endure the sudden
change from the heated air inside the
factory to the cold air outside. The
boys who are employed on the night
shift finish their work about 8 a. m.
the coldest hour of the twenty-four,
and the time when the boy, through
sleepiness and anxiety to get home. is
least likely to consider the guarding
of his sealth. He is overheated from
work. he rarely has extra clothing
to protect him from the sudden change,
and often he has long journey home.
Sometimes boy has to wait for the
first morning car arriving. perhaps not
till or 6 a. M The alternative to
making the cold trip home is sleeping
in the factory till morning, and often
the boys do this.
An older man who worked on the
alternating shift was asked whether
this weekly change had any effect upon
him. He was a fully grown and we'll
built man, and he said. eyes, indeedi
l am rot the man to-day I was year
ago; then I was strong and healthy,
but this shift of day and night work
is slowly Nocking me out" If this
system has such an effect upon strong
man. what must be its effect upon
young and undeveloped boyl
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
pick beans in the fields after they dry
off from the night dew, and with night
fall go into the sheds again.
State Laws and
Their Enforcement

"But why don't the states do some
thing about it?" Some of them do, but
eleven states have no fourteen-year
limit for factory or else make special
exemptions that permit children to
work in canneries. But even in the
states that do have law 1t Is difficult
to enforce it. for the employers make
the plea that the children's work Is
agricultural" or the canneries are sit
uated outside the cities, where inspec-
tion Is almost impossible for the state
officials; or else the children are not
put on the payroll at all, but come
with their mothers and "help."
The vegetable canneries ara only a
part of the industry. Down along the
Gulf coast, from New Orleans eastward
to Florida, and along tho coast to
Maryland. the Carolinas and Georgia
stretches chain of oyster and shrimp
canneries, where the longest hours and
the most miserable conditions prevail
and where the most heartbreaking
be found.
Every year in October hundreds Of
Polish and Bohemian people are herded
together and shipped over to the South
ern coasts by train and by boat. They
are housed in crowded, insanitary
shacks, frequently only a few feet from
the marshes. Go out to one of these
canneries at o'clock some morning
{ Here is the crude shed, just off the
dock where the oyster boats unload
their cargoes. Near the dock is the
ever present she'll pile, testifying to the
patient toll of little fingers. 1t is cold
damp, dark. The whistle blew some
, time ago, and the workers slipped into
their meagre clothes, snatched bite tc
eat and hurried to the shucking shed
For it is the motto of the padrone
"Ef day don't git up 1 go and git 'en
up"
The little children, six, seven anc
eight years old, come stumbling
through the dark over the shell piles
munching a piece Of bread, and take
their places with the older people. They
stand in front of the benches, theil
pals in front of them, split open the
rough, hard shells and take out the
meat. When the pail is full it is {
welcome change to carry it off fol
weighing. Though the oyster shell.
are painful enough for tiny fingers, thu
shrimp is worse, for the children's fin
gers and even their shoes are attacked
by corrosive substance in the shrimp
that is strong enough to eat the til
cans in which they are put up. The.
can only work for a few hours OF
shrimp. Moreover, the shrimp ar
packed in ice, and few hours handling
Of these Icy things is dangerous TO,
any child, no matter how hardy he is.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16

her at home worn out with the work she
had been doing, but the mother COM
planned that Olga was ugly Four
year-old Mary was working irregularly
through the day, shucking about two
pots Of oysters. Her mother Is the
fastest shucker In the place, and the
boss said Mary will work steady next
year.
"Freckled Bill, bright lad Of five
years, told me that he workcd-and his
mother added reproachfully, He kin
make is cents any day he wants to
work. but he won't do it steady"
No wonder that many of the children
seem dumb and do not speak English.
All the schooling they get is sand
wiched in between long periods of kill
ing, soulless work.
The verdict of the entire country is,
"This condition is intolerable; it must
be stopped" But who is to stop it?
Not the parents, for their only sin lies
in being frugal and oppressed and ig
norant Of the overwhelming price they
are compelling their young ones to pay.
Not the employer, for he rarely learns
that child labor does not pay until he
is prevented by law from using chill
dren. Not the state, for canning indus
tries are powerful and are usually sue
cessful in getting special dispensations
from the Legislature or in persuading
the courts to dismiss cases brought
against them for violation Of the child
labor law.
The national government is the only
agency that can establish uniform reg
ulations in all the states that will
speedily put an end to such conditions
Do you ever find farmer Harvesting
his colt to the plough? Does he ever
yoke his calves together to draw load
of stone or bring his hay in from the
field? He would laugh at the very
idea. Not much! They are too valua-
BILE.
But down in the Southern states be-
fore last September 1900 boys and
girls under fourteen years of age
worked for eleven hours a day in the
cotton mills, and now that the Federal
law has been declared void there is
nothing to prevent them doing it again.
There is only one large cotton mill
state, Massachusetts, in which all chill
hours day.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
The Same Story
rom All Sections

The story of child labor in our.
states is too long and its different
chapters too many to be read at one
sitting. From all parts of the country,
in all the different kinds of industries,
comes the same story of accidents,
lowered health, long hours, small pay.
1t must be remembered that children
Of fourteen and fifteen are in the
most resistant years of their lives, and
also in the most formative years. So
that while they do not show immediate
ly the effects of employment the re-
New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
Five-Year-Old
An Oyster Shucker

One of the Investigators who visited
the oyster canneries for the National
Child Labor Committee saw little Olga
standing on box in order to reach the
table, picking shrimp. Olga was five
years old. Later in the day found
Evening journal., 1918-03-02
NO COMMUNITY SING
In CITY ON MONDAY

The weekly "slngs" OF the Commune
ity Chorus for the last five or six
weeks have proved that there is
pleasure derived from singing in a
large chorus which Is not experienced
In singing alone or in small party.
The wave OF tone Is not only sonorous
but 4. is also rich and mellow. and
one cannot so idle in the presence %
such an atmosphere The Community
Chorus calls into action many beauil-
ful voices that otherwise would never
be used In song The people come be-
cause they love the SONGS that are used
and they love TO Join In the singing
with so many others who also love
to sing them
While ihere has never been more
than nine hundred people presen. 40
any "sng IN Wilmington. It Is estl-
mated that at least fifteen hundred
people have attended. The chorus Is
open 20 an. ond Il is the hope Of ihe
organ'zation that settled weather viii
swell the chorus 10 the fun capacity Of
the High school auditorium Members
| do not pay admission or dues.
sings" win be held regularly on
Monday evenings 90 g o'clock, except
on March 8 and is when the philadei.
/ phia Orchestra plays In Wilmington.
Evening journal., 1918-03-02
POLICE REPLY TO
HQSFITAL CHARGES
Say Only Patients Who Are
Seriously Hurt Go TO
Institution
SURGEON CARES
FOR MANY CASES

Taking exceptions 10 TIE statements
made by the board Of managers OF the
Delaware Hospital That The police de-
pariment. peclally on Saturday nights.
is sending intoxicated prisoners 20 tho
hospital instead ot having them carec
for at the police station 10y me police
surgeon. members or the police depart
ment are preparing 90 answer the
charges through the Police Commls-
sion. one official OF that department
today said that instead OF the police
dumping patients on the Delawars
Hospital the hospital authorities were
dumping patients on The department
The police say that some weeks ago
a Negress was struck by an automobile
at Front and klng streets and was re-
moved 20 the hospital In The Phoenix
ambulance The hospital authorities
! later had the woman sent 90 the police
station. where II was found she was
unable "a walk The police sent the
woman to the home Of n friend
The police also say That recently an
aged man. who had been iakon 90 the
/ hospital from Richardson Park. ill. was
removed 90 the police station later
without shoes or clothes. while Inc
/ thermometer was near 6 degrees below
zero This man the police returned
10 the hospital
Relative 20 the letter sent CITY Coun-
ell on last Thursday night. In which II
was stated that 10 would cost Sil1 "a
care for George Cox. the Negro who
had the bone In his leg shattered by B
bullet fired from a revolver by Detec-
tive Mahoney the police officials con
tend that they could not send the In
iured man anywhere else but TO a hos.
ptal.
That the police surgeon has attend
ed many patients az the police station
Is shown by the monthly reports o
that official 20 the commission. Ere
quently the police surgeon visits th'
police station three and four times
dav 20 care for patients.
According TO the police, they send O
the hospitals only those cases that ar
regarded as dangerous or where 10 Is
question Of life or death. They some
times take 90 the hospitals men who
have been slightly stabbed or other
wise wounded. but they say they al
ways bring these persons back 90 tn'
police station after they have had thei
injuries dressed and they are Kept a
the City Hall and listed as patients.
Tho police say many cases Of intoxi
Gated men. for instance, VINO have beel
hurt about the city. are taken 20 IN
hospital by the Phoenix ambulance am
that the police are given the credit 10
these patients. They assert they hav
repeatedly gone 10 the hospitals 20 n
move from them 10 the City Hall p'
10 tients taken there by the ambulance
4 in automobiles and who are not wan
y ed there and whose injuries are not
, serious that they have 10 remain On q
/. institution.
Evening journal., 1918-03-02
Submarine Destroyers

Our doye and scout ships waiting for the sudden attacA
deadly orpedo-the watch the Atlantic the lookout
for the first hidden dsngr-is fight for life Fo
leading life home is often the unexpected that hap
pens may be that myerousy attacked by pain in
back limbs umbago neuragc painsshootng anywhere Back
ache of any kind often caused by kidney disorders whc
kidneys working properly. Poisonous
and acd accumulate within the body eat abundance
working the sick Kidneys; hence the congestion Of blood back
the similar congestion in the head
Perhaps you become Respondent sick fever
spots appearing before the bags under the has
Of ambition things The latest and effective means
Of overcoming such trouble to eat spang Of NEST drink plenty
water between meals and single Tablet before each
meal for while, until recovered
Simply your favor druggist for Anuric Tablets double
strength have umbago rheumatism gout drop oegn
Immediately with this newest discovery Of Dr. Pierce VINO She
Medical Surgical Institute Buffalo n l. Send loc Tor
trial pkg All druggists package for sixty cents
DR. Pierce regulate and nvigore stomach liver and
bowels Compound MyapP Oes and aP Keep the body clean
inside well a. outSide
Evening journal., 1918-03-02
FUNERAL OF DR.. M'KAY
THIS AFTERNOON

The funeral OF Dr. Read Mckay VIII
be held Of "nisculum,' Rodney and
Chestnut streets. this afternoon at 80
o'clock. Tho Rcv Charles L. C9ndee,
of Westminster Presbyterian Church,
viii conduct the services
The pallbearers will be General
Charles Bird. former Mayor James T..
Price, Samuel Newman. Frank Mccoy
Or J. A. Elcgood. Dr Raymond r
Tyhout. Dr. Willard Springer. Dr. Henry
Stubbs. Dr. John Palmer, Or. Peter
W. Tomlinson and nr r. Neasey
] James +. Price. who is an elder in
the First Presbyterian church. was as
sociated there In the work Of The church
with Or. Mckay for many years Gen
eral Bird. Samuel Newman and Tranl
Mccoy arc elders at Westminster
Church where Or. Mckay was also an
elder az the time Of his death The In.
terment win be private.
Evening journal., 1918-03-02
ORDER TWO FATHERS
TO SUPPORT KIDDTES

Walter Roland, In Municipal Court
today. was fined s25 and costs for as
amt and battery on Blanche Collins, a
Necress. Roland pleaded guilty
Harry NJ Simmons, who recently was
held in $500 bail for upper court, on a
charge Of larceny, was surrendered by
his bondsman, Francis T. Manion. he
was held in the same bond for court.
Russell Hayes. Negro, was before the
court on a charge Of assault and bat
terry on John Perkins, Negro. lt ap-
nears that the defendant was intoN-
cated last night and went home and
proceeded to beat up Perkins be
cause the latter was sitting on his bed.
FIe was fined $40 and COSTS.
Peter label. charged with uon-sup-
port OF his two minor children, was
ordered 10 pay Sc a week for the sup
DO Of his children.
William Pendleton. Negro. pleaded
guilty to a charge Of non-support OF
his 7-months-old child. lie was or
dered TO pay SO g week
Charged with disorderely conduct IN
Mechanic street, last night, Nethe Ben
son, Negress. was fined 3 and costs.