The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-25
Commissioner Of Labor Complains.

Editor world: My attention has been called
TO an editorial in your paper of the date of June
TO- under the heading Of "A Momentous Deci-
sion criticisng me for holding the occupation
OF selling chewing gum az being Injurious to
health and morals Of children.
Your readers are entitled TO know the reasons
which actuated the commissioner Of labor in
bringing this occupation under the child labor
laws of the state and respectfully request you
70 give this communication the publicity which
it deserves; the following statement Is there
fore submitted for their Information:
The under consideration that of
three little Syrian girls, who were half-orphans,
their father being dead who have attracted
considerable attention and unfavorable COM
ment by selling gum on the streets in front OF
the theaters and other public places in OKLA
homa City. Numerous complaints had been
made to the department concerning the condi-
tons under which these children were en-
ploycd. The complaints stated that the public
was being imposed upon by the children's con-
tnu9us soliciting on the streets that their
PEELED to sell the allotment of gum given TO
them each day recsive beating when they
returned home in the evening. that they would
sometimes fan down in the street ard cry os-
tcnsibly for the purpose Of attracting a crowd.
after which usually they had no difficulty in
dlsposing OF what gum they had left.
number OF public officials and quite
number OF public spirited citizens OF this city
had called these conditions to our attention: In
a written communication, the United Charities
organization called our attention to these cases
and advised that there were other means avail
able for the children TO subsist on. The City
Welfare Board OF oklahoma city which as you
know is nonpollucal, informed me in COM
munication that that organization had been
working on this case for more than n year
without success taking It to the county court
at that time, and that instructions were issued by
tho court that the guardian Of the children
should prevent their selling merchandise upon
homa city reported that the children are prob
ably tubercular and certainly undernour-
ished, and that they heartily approved OF my
decision 70 take up this case. and wished me
successful issue In Its prosecution. The letter
closes with this statement; IF we can assist
you in this case or in any other please call
upon uS.
your editorial whore you refer to personally
aud say This is the type of public official and
the nature OF duties many of them perform for
which the people OF this state ara paying good
money" Is not only unfounded, but ridiculous
section Of Article % of the constitution of
oklahoma provides as follows; THE employ
ment of children, under the age OF 3 years, in
any occupation, injurious to health or morals,
or especially hazardous to life or limb, is hereby
prohibited"
The law authorizing the commissioner Of
labor TO deter mine occupations injurious to
health and morals OF children under the age OF
l5 years !s to be found In Section 1928, Revised
Laws Of oklahoma 1910. which says: NO child
permitted to work in any occupation injurious
TO health or morals or especially hazardous to
life or limb. IL shall be the Gu'y or the COM
missioner OF labor upon investigation by him
self the agents OF his department. or upon
complaint OF the commissioner OF charities and
corrections, the board Of health, to determine
what occupations are injurious to health or
morals or especially hazardous TO life or limb,
and to notify employers in such occupations Of
his decision which decision shall be final until
such occupation or occupations shall be de-
fined by law as safe for morals, health, life
ana limb"
According to the complaints the occupation
OF vending or selling chewing gum on the street 5
was most certainly injurious to both the health
and morals OF the children In question: and
your editorial was uncalled for, unjustlfied, and
harmful and had you understood the condi-
tions surrounding this case no doubt you would
not have written Il,
Very truly yours,
CLAUDE IL. CONNALLY,
June %. Commissioner of Labor.