Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-24

inspector, was the principal speaker
ar the nesting OF the Child WeifArs
League at Libraxy hall last evenfns
and give wondesfully illuminating
address on the child labor question
In the State Of Maine Mr.. Eddy was
followed by Public School Supesin-
ten6ent George E. Paine of winslow
and William Fl. Patfen OF Water
vile.
A short musical program consisted
Of vocal solos beautifully rendered by
Miss Bernice Richardson and DR.. Ma
poison Bisson. with Mrs. Charles
Pooler at tho piano.
Mr. Eddy stated In tbs beginning
of his address that he was inclined
toward the policy Of letting the ue0.
pie judge Of any movement by its
achievements instead Of talking
much about il. He also told briefly OF
the scope of the work OF the commits
sioner of labor IN regard to labor
movements ana also as to matters
concerning wo-kmen's compensation.
Mr.. Eddy said in part:
The commissioner Of labor Of the
State OF Maine Ia charged with many
duties We are, Al you know, enforce
meat ofhcers Of all laws regulating en-
pioyuent Of women and minors: all
laws established for the protection Of
health. lives and LINKS of operators IN
workshops and factories. ON raiifuads
and other places: all laws regulating tho
payment Of wages and all iaws enacted
for tbs protection Of the working caAsA.
in addition, the dep1xtrusnt snail coa-
lect, asoort and arrange statistical d.
tails relating to all departments Of n
Dor and Industrial prnceedings in the
State. The commissioner Of labor 10 .
member Of the Maine Industrial Acct
dent Commission. When II ID consid-
erad that during the year 1873 there
have been about lS0e accidents report
ed to the commission and that about
400 of this number have been awarded
compensation under agreements which
must be examined and. IL found cor
rect. approved by the commissioner OF
labor. n will be readily seen that our
time is all consumed In the course OF
regular Work.
.At the uresent time we have nrsi
class child labor law, ana compress
and effective system OF enforcement
The result is that the state OF MAINS
has in my opinion. which is based upon
statistics gathered recently. q less mum
her of minors employed UNDER l5 years
=. aye than any other state in the
union either in proportion to the who'e
number engaged in manufacturing W ~
the popuiation Of the state Inis IL
compIete revision of conditions al
vithin lie ass few ears
Mr. Eadv s.bst antiated this state
rrert BY a brief review OF cn1io lAooi
laws and conditions previous 70 ths
enactment of the recent amendments.
The hrst law. enacted IN lasi. pfohi"-
,.sl the employment of children uns
der the age Of l2 years and carried WIN
il a penalty of siue In 1871, 1893 WI ana
1872 amendments were made. all OF
which tended to make it harder for
children TO be employed IN inuustaes
when they should be in school,
Then speaker then quoted and gave
his INTERPRETATION OF the present child
labor law which will be found in C.isp-
ter 10 of the Revised Statutes as amend
cd by Chapters IH and a4s Of the Public
Laws of 1917 and Chapter 100 - the Pub
lie LAWS of 1879
Section 20: mo chilli under fourteen
years If age shall be employed. permit.
ted or suffered 20 FORK in. about or in
connection with any manufacturing or
mechanical establishment
This portion of The law is in-Ieffect all
the year around. n makes no difference
whether schools are in session OF not.
"No child under fifteen years OF age
shall be employed permitted or suffered
hire. whatever. during the hours that
the public schools of the town or city
in which he resides are n session.
You will please note that il 10 uniaw-
fuI to employ children under Is years
Of age while schools are in session.
There are no exceptions to this statute
and it includes all industries.
Section q: NO minor between the
ages of fourteen and sixteen shall be
employed. permitted or suffered to work
in any OF the aforementioned occupA-
tons unless the person. firm OF ecTpor-
alton employing such child procarcs
and keeps on fi.e a work permit issued
TO said child by the superintendent Of
schools of the city or town in which the
child resides or by some person au-
thor1zed bv him in writing"
Aforementioned occupations" in
Section Z covers the industries men.
toned in Section %. namely, manu-
featuring and mechanical establish
ments. and during the hours that
the public schools of the town or city
in winch the minor resides are in
session,-sil other industries. The
law makes Il distinction between
manufacturing and mechanical es-
adjustments. and other industriey
and during the hours that the public
schools are in session and when they
are not.
For the purpose IF this expiana-
ton. 1 will divide SECTION 20 and q
into four parts.
Part 1 provides that no child un-
der fourteen years of age shall be
employed in any manufacturing or
mechanical establishment at any
time of the year. It makes no differ
ence whether schools are in session o.
not.
Part . provides that no child under