Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-05-25
EFFECTS OF WAR
on CHILD LABOR
MANY BOYS AND GIRLS WORKED
ON CONTRACTS FOR THIS
AND OTHER NATIONS.
STATE LAWS ARE VIOLATED
Decision of the Supreme Court Has
Been Followed by the Restoration of
Most OePiorable Conditions in Vari-
Gus Localities.
BY JAMES p. RoRNApAY.


WashingtOn.-How the barriers
against child labor were let down dur
ing the war Is among the subjects
dealt with In the seventh annual re-
port Of the chlldrens bureau of the
United States department of labor.
Even before the entry of the United
States into the war American children
went to work in increasing numbers to
help I'LL contracts placed with Ameri-
can manufacturers by the belligerent
nations. After this country entered
the war, "a mistaken sense of patriot
Ism and the many opportunities for
employment at an abnormally high
wage combined TO draw permanently
into industry large numbers of boys
and girls, many of whom under nor
mai conditions would have continued
In school for several years"
The federal child-labor law, which
had gone into effect on September l,
1917, prohibited the employment of
children under sixteen in mines and
quarries and of children under four
teen In factories limited the working
day to eight hours for children under
sixteen employed In factories, and pro-
hibited work for them between D. m.
and Z a. m. But this law was de-
clared unconstitutional by the Supreme
court on June 3, 1918. Under the ex-
listing income tax law there is an In
~ ~
bureau of Internal revenue says that
the reaction due to the war is being
overcome.
Many Violations of State Laws.
The immediate effect of the Supreme
court decision in states where the state
Child-labOr standards were lower than
those imposed by the federal law was
the prompt restoration of the longer
working day for children under sixteen
and an increase in the number of
working children. In a number of
states there was an appreciate in
crease in the violation of state laws.
For example. in one state the inspec-
tors of the children's bureau found
that Al out of 63 factories visited aft
er the federal law had been declared
unconstitutional were violating the
stale law by employing children under
twelve Four hundred and thirty such
children were employed. In 40 fac
tories visited when the federal law
was in force, only 90 such children
under fourteen had been found at
work In one state where the mini
mum age for employment in cannerles
was fourteen years, 721 children under
that age, including 80 who were not
yet ten years old, were found at work
IN the canneries in the summer of
1918.
1t was in recognition of the serious
ness of this increasing employment of
young children that the war labor poll
cies board voted that compliance with
the. standards of the former federal
child-labOr law SHOULD be required of
establishments engaged IN government
war contracts made after the date of
the decision.
Children in ShipbuIIdins Plants.
plants received by the Children's bu-
reau regarding Illegal employment of
children in shipbuilding plants, spe-
cial investigation Of this industry was
made by the bureau in cooperation
with the United States Shipping Board
Emergency Fleet corporation in the
winter and early spring of 1919. Prac-
tically all the important shipbuilding
plants on the Atlantic coast. the Gulf
OF Mexico and the Great Lakes were
inspected, and there were found to be
numerous violations of state and fed
eral laws. Even more serious. how
ever was the employment of children
In hazardous occupations which in pre-
war times had been confined to older
boys and men.
In order to cOunteract the effects
of the wartime employment of chill
dren and to discourage such employ
ment in the future. many communities
undertook back -tO-schOOl and stay-in-
school campaigns during 1918 and 1919
under the impetus of children's year.
Some work to keep children in school
and out of industry has been under
taken in the majority of the states.
This work has Included agitation for
better enforcement of schoOl-attend-
anCe laws; more attendance officers ;
more schoolhouses more and better
teachers with higher salaries; a long
er school term; better child-labOr
laws, and provision for advising chill
dren in choice of occupation and as
sisting them in finding suitable en-
plOyment.
BY these and similar means many
states hope to reduce the illiteracy
which is so aIarmingly prevalent, es-
peciaIly in rural districts of the United
States and which is so great a STUN
bling block to Americanization; and
to protect children against the haz-
ards of too rly employment.
Positions for Service Men.
Thus far only a limited number of
service men have obtained posi-
lions in the executive department
Of the government Recently the
civil service commission has been
receiving many inquiries as to the