South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-27
BY ETHEL VI. PHELAN.


ditions as II Is 20 conduct or rear
range your business, your farm.
your household for that purpose. II
this were a story OF how 70 increase
the output OF your factory. OF how
10 render more productive your farm
lands. OF how 70 minimize your
household duties or make an eggless
cake. how easy Il would be TO secure
your attention, but will this story Of
how you can vitality contribute TO
the welfare OF your own and your
neighbors' children and incidentally
insure the safety OF the nations
future. hold your interest sufficiently
20 warrant n perusal?
Sunday was Child Labor day. an
annual event, but more significant
this year than ever before because Of
its special applicability TO the present
problem OF caring for those children
lured from school by the siren call
OF war wages" with its attendant
promise OF independence and money
20 spend. In some industrial centers
Of the United States the number Of
children taking out working papers
has more than doubled since our
entry into the war. Now. with peace
shutting off war production and the
men IN khaki marching back to
their jobs. the demand for labor that
called the boys and girls into indus
try viii subside Thousands Of chill
dren will be thrown out OF work
What provision will be made foc
them2
Thus IL Is that the child labor
question and the k-to-school
drive. instituted by the children's
bureau and the child conservation
section OF the national council OF de-
Tense. are inseparable. The only way
TO keep children out Of factories is
TO keep them in school. There is no
alternative.
The Child's Bill of Rights.
Resolved. that childhood is en-
lowed with certain inherent and in
alienable rights. among which are
freedom from toll from daily bread
the right TO play and 10 dream; the
right to the normal sleep OF the
night season: the right to an educa-
ton. that we may have equality OF
opportunity for developing all that
there is in US of mind and heart"
fragrant violation of the rights OF
childhood as set forth in these words
or the Declaration Of Independ-
ence" drawn up for the working
children of America by the late Dr.
A. J. McKelway. is the answer 10
the question. What is child labor?''
and could there be an answer more
appealing than this to the heart and
mind as we'll?
Plainly obvious to thinking people
are most of the arguments against
child labor. II is only those en-
crossed so deeply In their own af-
fairs that they have no thought for
humanity in general or those whose
vision is obscured by the quest OF
personal gain who disregard the
rights Of childhood.
Child labor is not a necessary evil
as some would have us think Eve
poverty, apparently the most valit
excuse, is no justification. for child
labor Is a cause. as well as an effect
OF poverty. The child laborer is the
father OF a man without a Job. OF
with only a poorly paid one Tn,
child should not be made TO suffel
for the poverty OF his parents. bu
should be enabled 10 90 10 schoo
and thus be helped out OF poverty
Widows pensions and school schol
arships have been suggested as on,
solution OF the problem.
Ruins Health OF Children.
Child labor ruins the health OF
children. Boys and girls Of "A year.
are not able TO stand the strain al
continuous work which eventually
may mean the difference between
happy. useful life and a life Of sick
ness ard inefHciency.
The refusal OF the federal govern
ment 20 employ children in essentia
industries gives point 90 the conten
tion that they should not be Above.
TO furnish a cheap source of Iabo
for essentials. which point 4
further strengthened by the fact tina
the labor market is Overcrowded b.
child labor. the abolition Of which Il
necessary in the solution Of the prob
lens Of industrial and military de
mobilization.
In South Bend we have a depart
ment OF our public school system
known as the school attendance de
partment, which is indirectly at
tempting 10 solve the child laho
question here. Statistics from tia
Office show that at the present tim
there are $50 boys and $50 girls be
tween the ages OF IA and Is I'm in
dustry, while those between the age
Of is and IS would double or tripl
that number. These figures includ
only those who are actually M worl
now. and do not include those VIII
have had permits but have now re
turned 20 school or those who hav
reached the age OF Is since IN
granting OF the permit
Each year the number OF chiIdre-
who wish 20 go 10 work at the az
Of Il. having completed the fit
grade. increases. In most instance
the child and its parents are unde
the impression that because the Lax
permits such an action IL Is the RICH
thing 20 do. They viii triumphant
present themselves at the office wit
the remark. II want 20 go 70 WORK
I've finished my grade" To tn
oupesfon ssTFou- ola ma x-o,, 90 fv,,-, 80