The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-06-18
CHILDLABOR LAWS
ARE DISREGARDED
Startling Disclosures Contained
in a Preliminary Report by the
State Director Of Employment.
PROBE JERSEY RURAL CASES
Conditions Would Be Better If Schools
Were Compelled to Accept for
Teaching Children Doing Season
able Work on Farms.

Trenton. Of child en-
ployment on South Jersey truck
farms, Its accompanying evils OF poor
housing and alleged wholesale and
persistent violations Of New Jersey
laws by Philadelphia agencies, with
even more startling disclosures prom
Used, were contained in preliminary
report submitted to DR.. Andrew F.
Mcbride, State Labor Commissioner,
by Russell j. Eldridge, State director
of employment, who is now engaged
in investigating working conditions of
agricultural communities In the south
ern part of the State.
Rigid application Of the State child
welfare act at the Camden ferries,
which is the entering point for Penn
syIvania farm workers, was recon-
mended by Mr. Eldridge to stop the
working Of children of tender years
on farms. BY some system of inspec-
ton at the Camden side Of the Della
ware and by keeping watch on New
Jersey employment agents, the prac-
| tice can be stamped out.
Mr.. Eldridge explained that be-
cause many OF the "padrones" as the
agents are called, live in Philadel
| phia, and because most of the work
ers are from Pennsylvania, it would
be difficult to start court proceedings
against them, unless such action were
commenced in Camden or while the
children are doing agricultural work.
It would be comparatively easy, he
thought. to prevent Jersey agents
from placing children under 16 years
of age, in employment.
mo child found working possessed
an age or schooling certificate" as
serted Mr.. Eldridge. GAS to work
hours and rest periods. report that
the usual period for all those en-
ployed, including every child who is
used, is ten hours per day. Rest Pc
RODS are unknown except at the dis
erection of the parents. / observed
none in effect"
During his tour he covered 513
miles, visited 10 farms, nine bogs and
four schools. He interviewed seven
owners of either farms or cranberry
areas.
In that time he discovered, he said,
Sc children over the age Of seven en-
ployed on berry and truck farms.
Children under the age of 10 working
on the farms formed 10 per cent of
the total
"As to tn total quantity of children
employed on farms and bogs in this
State" said Director Eldridge II
would report that this, in my expert
ence, can only be found, If then COM
pletely, by a survey each week Of the
entire farming districts, especially
south of Trenton, between May Is
and October Is. Almost every truck,
fruit or berry farm uses them in sea-
SON."
Abiding to housing conditions, Mr..
Eldridge declared that while in some
instances houses were good or fair,
there Is much room for improvement.
in many cases." he said, "the
houses provided Gin some cases now
used and in others vacant at the
time) were inferior to even tenement
standards with regard to ventilation,
fire safeguarding, water, toilet and
cooking facilities, sanitation and by
giene."
| Conditions would be in some meas
ure improved, Mr.. Eldridge thought,
If the schools in the counties visited
/ by him, could be induced to accept
children who come into the farming
districts. Most Of the local schools, it
was reported, have never made any
effort to bring the children into the
schools and some have a disinclina-
ton to accommodate such out-of-
town children. The situation would
be partly remedied, said Mr., Eldridge,
If the schools could be compelled to
accept for teaching the children do
ing seasonal work on the farms.
Railway Taxes Heavy
New Jersey railroads will this year
pay the largest tax bill they have ever
been called To meet in this State. Ac-
cording to the certification of the 1925
assessment. just filed by the State
Board of Taxes and Assessment, a
total Of SIG 665, 205.55 will be collected
from the reads as tax on first and
second class property.
The total valuation fixed by the
hoard on beth classes Of railroad prop
erty is 4S.S02.259. This figure is a
jump OF SS,164,SSs over the aggregate
valuation for 1924 The tax to be
paid is an Increase of $372,520.1S over
last year.
Topping che list OF railroads is the
/ Pennsylvania, which will pay total
tax Of $4.5S43SS.E6 on a property val
uation Of B126.2s6.967. The second
largest assessment is against the Gen.
trail Railroad of New Jersey, the val
nation being $97 .154,539 and the tax
1881 29.S9.
First class property Of the various
roads, which includes the main stems,
franchises and tangible personality, is
appraised for the current year at
1882. 250.65S.
The total .Fa1uation of second class
property is s186.551,601 and the tax
yield will be s6,SSS,500.O6.
r. r. agents for Towns.