The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-06
ALABAMA OBEYS
 CHILD LABOR LAW
 BETTER THAN MANY
Welfare Department Issues Encouraging Report-Lack of Familiarity With the
 Statute Chief Trouble
By FRED II. GoRMLEY Montgomery Bureau, Tho Age-Herald, VYraf NatsanaI nn.I-

~~i-S IHsL Nat1onAl Bank Building
 Montgomery, March 5.--(speciaL )--Ala- bsna has child welfare and child labor laws which will guarantee to allschildren Of the state their right to health and happiness, and when maturity is reached material prosperity, If the people will ac- quaint themselves with the lays and as- sist the state child welfare department in their enforcement, according to Miss Esther Lee Rider, who recently came to the state from the federal child labor tax division and became head of the child labor division of the child welfare commission, in a statement today follow ang a tour of inspection of Alabama
 Miss Rider said the laws are being en- forced among large industries, but that the lack of assistance of the citizens has hindered enforcement among the smaller establishments, all of which are required to see that children meet the conditions O. the law Miss Riders statement on child labor conditions in Alabama foi- lows:
 ABOVE AVERAGE
 Although ] have been connected with the child welfare department of Alabama J had opportunity te become fully acquaint- ed with conditions throughout the state, ] feel entirely justified in stating that the condition of child labor in Alabama is far above that of the average southern states in it's regulation and in conformity to the state laws.
 This is especially true, in the cotton mills, where the laws are observed so well that the condition compares most favorably with that of those states where adequate child labor laws have long been operative. This statement is based upon q diversified and comprehensive knowi- edge of the child labor laws and their enforcement in the different states, gained through my former connection with the federal child labor tax division. This encouraging condition found ill the cotton mills is possibly the outcome of long process of education of the employ CTS through legislation and through the vigorous enforcement of the laws, rather than through a manifest cooperation on the part of the public as whole
 LACK OF PROTECTION
 ''As a matter of course, there are many public-sprited men and women through out the state who have and always will stand for the highest and best measures for the protection of the children of Ala bama, and who have long been most ac- tive in their support of the enforcement of the child labor law; but on the other hand in every section of the state where have travelled in a round of inspec- tions I have been confronted with most appalling indifference and lack of ln- formation concerning the requirements Of the law. It is most common to ind H. legal employment of children due to ut ter indifference or ignorance of the law, This is especially true among the pro- prietors of the mercantile establishments, the drug stores and the small shops where relatively a small number of chll- dren to the establishment are employed, but since these kind of establishments far outnumber the factories and mills, where the law is understood and where children are employed in conformity with the requirements of the law, it is easily concluded that in many instances very large per cent of the children who are entering employment are not receiving adequate protection to which they are en- titled because of the ignorance of the em- ployers and their subsequent lack of CO., operation in employing children in con- foi mity to tho. child labor law.
 MRS. BUSH'S LAW"
 Tt is not unusual throughout the state to hear the child labor law referred to by representative citizens as "N-rs. Bush's law If this nomenclature were applied to express an appreciation of the untiring efforts of Mrs. Bush in her endeavor to insure protection and education for every child of the state, it would be a most fitting tribute to pay to the most staunch and loyal champion of the cause of chiId labor legislation in the south. but in my opinion, it is used more often because