Evening journal., 1922-01-16
MSpectorHagnerTe Tells
of Factors That Are
Reducing Employ
ment of Children
MISS BRLNTON
TELLS OF WORK

nave submitted 10 the LhNpi Nvnn
mission Of Delaware interesting re-
ports for the year ending December
31 The reports, which were con
siderad az the annual meeting OF the
Commission on Friday show the
inspectors had a busy year. notwith-
standing the industrial depression
ana the great decrease in employ
mpnt affecting men, women and
children alike.
The Industrial depre ssion that
has been prevalent the country over
for the past twelve months has had
IFS effect on children as well as their
elders. q" says Child Labor Inspector
Hagner in his report. "The need
for child fabor during the above
named period has apparently been
less than for years. There are sew
eral factors that are responsible for
this condition.
First The Federal Child Labor
Tax Law. with its provision Of a
tax OF 10 per cent. OF the net profits
for the year against any mill, can
merry, workshop. factory or manu-
featuring establishments situated in
the United States in which children
under the age OF fourteen years have
been employed or permitted to
work; or children between the ages
OF fourteen and sixteen years have
been employed or permitted to work
more than eight hours in any day or
more than six days in any week.
Employers generally are loath 10
lower their standard working hours
for a particular group, hence the or
der not to employ help under 16
years Of age is rigidly enforced.
Misrepresentation OF age is met with
BY employers cooperating with the
Labor Commission officials in send
ing to this Office for a certificate Of
age children who apply for positions
and claim to be 16 or II years Of
age.
Second. The Part-time School
Attendance Law for Delaware. The
requirements OF this act are that
children between the ages OF IA and
is years who have obtained employ
ment certificates must attend part
time schools and classes four hours
each week in general. civic or voca-
tional subjects. The law also pro-
vldes that should a child not be
regularly employed, the attendance
at school must be for a period OF at
least twenty hours per week. With
the Federal Child Labor Tax Law
permitting forty-eight hours service
and the school authorities setting
ASIDE Saturday mornings from a.
m. 20 IL m. as the time the children
are to receive this instruction. this
lowers the hours OF service for a
child with an employment certif-
cate IN Industrial establishments 70
forty hours per week. with the re-
suit that employers generally viii
not employ children subject TO this
law.
Third. The efficient work being
done by the school attendance Of
fcers Two years OF service lave
brought about an attendance at
school OF children who formerly
were Indifferent as 20 their school
duties. Prior to the appointment OF
the attendance officers the number
OF children applying for employ
ment certificates who had complet-
cd but FIVE yearly grades In the va
rious schools had reached the mark
OF SO per cent. Of the total number
OF certificates issued. We are pleased
TO say for the past year, the five
year school record is the exception
and not the rule. Some parents
also. are made TO feel their respon
ability to the children and the STATE
by, at times, being hailed into cour
FOR falling to exact proper schoo
attendance on the part Of their chill
dren.
During the year seventeen EN-
ployment- certificates we're issued {
boys taking the Cooperative Cours
AT the Wilmington High Schoo
These boys are serving as apprer
tices at various industrial establish
ments in Wilmington and alternat
every two weeks at school an
WORK. They are receiving the bes
OF instruction possible in thei
chosen line Of work.
"a survey OF twenty-three car
neries that were operating was mad
in September, Conditions as to chill
labor we're found to be UNUSUAL
good. Due to the small acreag
OF tomatoes planted by farmer
throughout the State and a desir
On the part OF the Gamers to dispos
of their packs OF 1919 and 1920, bI
few canneries decided TO open U
their establishments in 1921.
Beginning with October the Lat
or Commission. cooperating with IN
United States Employment Servic
tTnftad Cfafoq nouarfnanf NJ Taho
mas made monthly surveys OF indul
trial and manufacturing establish
ments in Delaware for the purpoi
OF regularly collecting and distribu
ing current information regardin
general and specific industrial en-
ployment conditions. the Distribute
OF labor and the fluctuations in en-
ployment throughout the State. Tn
information is published monthly
the Industrial Employment SurvS
; by the Department OF Labor.
"A new edition OF the Industrli
and Manufacturing Directory OF De
i. aware has just been received. and
ready 70 redistribution.
During the year nine boys wei
brought before the Juvenile Court q
: charges OF selling newspapers will
out having obtained the necessal
employment certificates. This a.
tion was not taken until the bo!
showed utter disregard for the Ia,
Seventy-nine boys applied for ar
received employment certificates
d. sell and serve newspapers during n
year"
Inspector Hagner sets ont tn,