The Washington herald., 1921-08-28
CABINET
MEMBER OPPOSES
CHILD EVIL
Agriculture Head Chosen
Chairman of National
Committee.

non tnat puts its boys
ana girls to work In field ana fac-
tory when they ought to be IN
scnooi and enjoying q normal
anouht ,.t OF play Is waster and IA
ks q man who. rioutouslx spends
ootn capital and interest Of his
tortnne. says David Franklin Hous-
Son, chairman Of the National Child
the physical strength of childhood.
such q deprivation OF its rights 10
intellectual equipment, will newt,
ably exact its price in a lowered
average of health, prosperity ana
hteracy a generation hence"
Succeeds DR.. Adler.
Mr.. Houston recertiy succeeded
Dr: Felix Adler in the Chairman
snip OF the committee. DR.. Adler
resigned because OF the press OF
personal business after seventeen
years as head of the COMMITTEES.
guiding IL through the period IN
winch IL was a prime factor in
causing enactment of Federal and
state laws regulating child labor in
INDUSTRY. Mr.. Houston was Secre-
tary OF Agriculture and Secretary
OF the Treasury. successfully, in the
wilson Cabinet, and is an educator
ano economist of note. having held
among other posts tnat Of president
OF the University OF Texas.
Lea by Mr.. Houston, the National
Chiid Labor Committe has launched
= campaign to eliminate the evils
oi cnild labor in agriculture. II
VIII De directed largely against con-
oitions in the beet fields of Colo
tado and Michigan,- the tobacco
plantations of Kentucky and Con-
necticut, the cotton-raising dis
tricts of Oklahoma. Texas and Inn
perlal Valley. California; the berry
neids OF Michigan and California
the onion fields Of Chic, the cram
perry bogs of Southern New Jersey
ana the truck farms ofNDelaware.
enforcement of existing compuI-
sorry school attendance laws in these
sections, which statistics show to
De most lax, is one of the objects
aimed at in the campaign of edu-
cation the committee is carrying on.
IL Is realized that until public opin-
ION is fully aroused to the menace
chlid labor in agriculture offers to
.ne welfare OF society no headway
can De made in compelling local
school officials in many districts to
perform their duty when to do 50
would antagonize pow erful interests
who profit by child labor.
Thousands of children between
the ages OF 6 and Is are being
worked at tasks beyond their physi-
cal endurance and are being kept
from school during the seasons
when crops are being cultivated
and harvested. Mr.. Houston con-
tinues: We do nt.' say the farm
child should do no work. The light
chores' all childreL raised on the
SOIL have the obligatai ion to perform
are as beneficial to them as they
are helpful to the families. They
DO not keep the child from school
nor deprive him OF his right to nor
NAL play. 1t is the child who is
exploited. denied schooling and
turned into a drudge, whether by
parents on their ou n farm or on
land they have CONT acted to culti-
vate by the acre. In which we are
interested.
The problem is mainly one Of
education. People everywhere must
be educated to a better state of
mind toward the child so that
rational measures and practices of
great variety may be adopted
which will cause the child to be-
come. not only more efficient
worker. but a more useful member
Of society"
The National Child Labor Com
mittee is in need of funds to carry
out its program. v. Everit Macy Is
treasurer and contributions NAV be
sent to him at 1oS East Twenty
second street, New York City. owen
r. Lovejoy is general secretary of
the committee and the board of
trustees includes men and women
OF national prominence. Among
them are Samuel McCune Lindsay,
Jane Adams, Adclph Lewisohn,
Lillian D. Valid. Paul VI. warburg,
John Dewey, Homer Folks, DR..
stephen S. Wise and Francis G.
Caffey.