Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-01-06
Decrease IN Value.


vested capital in cotton mills in South
Carolina for 1921 over 1920 and de-
crease of l27l92,S63 In the value o.
the annual product of the mills for
1921, as compared with 1920, are two
striking facts brought out In the an
nual report of the labor division of the
department Of agriculture,
This report has just been compiled
by A. II. Gilbert, Jr., chief inspector Of
the department, and will be submit
ted to Commissioner Harris for the
regular report.
An increase In the number of en-
ployes in cotton mills Is also shown
for this year with 55,05S, as compared
with 54,529 employed in 1920 and 3D..
462 In 1919. Total wages paid for the
year, December, 1920, to December,
1921, amounted to s34,S4S,35S, as com.
pared with 51,O32,99S in 1920 and
$36,677,3SS in 1919. These wages did
not include salaries of managers.
In 1919 the capital invested in all
cotton mills was $117,177.166 and in
1920 the amount was $140343,8 SAT,
while this year the figures advanced
to $145, 290,O5f. The value of the an
nual products Of the mills in 1919
was $22S,912,96O and in 1920 it was
2S6 15S,142, while this year 1t dropped
to $15S,965,179. The number of estab-
lishments Id 1919 was TIA and in 1920
the number was 1874, while in 1921 the
number dropped to 1870,
Another fact brought out in the re-
port Is that in 1919 the average num-
Der of days plants were operated was
296 and 1920 the number was 292
and tbs year I'll. The number Of
males under 16 years of age employ
ed the mills was LIZA 1919, 1882
n 1920 and 1,41S n 1921 The number
OF females employed under 16 years
Of age was 1.511 1919, 1,471 1920,
and 1886 1921.
AS a result of factory inspection in
the state the number of children em-
ployed in the mills has greatly de-
creased year by year until none under
IA years of age is now allowed to
work, while the number between IA
and 16 years OF age has decreased
from 1929 In 1915 to 1887 in 1921.
This decrease has ben made despite
the tremendous increase In the num-
Der OF spindles. Figures compiled by
Chief Inspector Gilbert show that
steady decrease in the employment or
children has taken place since 1908
when the number between Ia and Is
years old was 4,4l2 and between IL
and IA it was 1875 and under IL years
of age 1926 Since 1912 no children un.
der ~ have been employed and since
1917 none under IA years has been EN-.
ployed
Several changes in existing laws
are favored for next year and new
laws are also recommended In the
report. Among the new laws recon-.
mended are a minimum wage scale
for women. workmen's compensa-
ton act and a change of the present
law so as to make the hours of labor
not more than ten in any one day or
IS hours in any week The recon-
are as follows:
THAT Section 421 Of the criminal
code. Volume II. Code Of Laws OF
South Carolina, relating to hours OF
work in cotton and wooden mills be
so as to prohibit employees
from working more than ten hours in
one day and not more than SIS hours
IN one week.
THAT Section 426 criminal code,
1912, relating to work Of children in
factories, mines and textile establish
nents be amended so as to prescribe
penalty for employing children with
nut state permit from the commits
,ioner of agriculture. commerce and
the penalty TO be not less
ha. s25, nor more than 800 for each
md evrey offense.
THAT Section 424. criminal code,
1912, limiting the hours OF labor for
children in factories. etc, to read not
ess than $25 nor more than 500 for.
Zach and every offense, or to be inn
not longer than 30 days at
he discretion of the court.
THAT Section 42s, criminal code,
to be provided with suitable
water closets, to be amended to read
lot less than 25 nor more than 500
THAT the messenger boy act (4O5.
tets OF 1922 be amended as follows:
That children under 16 years OF age
re prohibited from working as news
Joys, messengers in mercantile estab-
ishments.
ITO amend an act entitled hours OF
abor for women in mercantile estab-
ishments, Section, 430, criminal code,
s12, to read as follows: That the
lours OF labor for women in mercan.
lie establishments be limited to 55
ours per week and not more than
en- hours in one day.