The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-23

SCdICely u DIdnCu Oh the immense SyS-
tenn of British manufacturers which
does not demand and exhaust the
strength Of your children. A history
Of these infant sufferers would appaI
the stoutest heart. ="
He quotes the Reviews conclus-
ions: 1T is a monstrous thing to be-
hold the condition, moral and phys
ical, of the juvenile portion of our
operative classes, more especially that
which is found in the crowded lanes
and courts of the larger townsville
charnelhouses of our race. Damp
and unhealthy strata left altogether
without drainage; frail tenements,
low and confined, without convenience
or ventilation; close alleys and no
supply of water; all these things over
topped by the ne plus ultra of rent
reward the contractor and devour the
inhabitants.
Emerging from these 1airs of filth
and disorder, the young workers
rising early, and late taking rest
go forth that they may toll thru the
fifteen, sixteen, nay seventeen relent-
less hours, in sinks and abysses, Of
tentimes even more offensive and per-
nicious than the holes they have quit
ted. ="
Child Slaves in the Mills.
Lester reproduces the testimony
given before the parliamentary com
mission which investigated the situa-
ton of the working CLASSIC England
In order to prevent being charged
with partiality, he selects for examin-
alton the investigation into the lace
making industry, in which, he ex-
plains, the toll is less prostrating
for the children than many other
kinds of labor" He warns the reader
that the situation so far as child-labor
was concerned was much worse in
other kinds of production.
Mr.. Saunders, a large lacemill own
ers, is being examined:
QuestSon-Have you many lacemills
in your district? 81 s8s
Answer have about thirty mills.
Q.-What are the usual hours of
work in those mills?
A-The usual hours are, about Not
tingham, twenty hours a day, being
from four o'clock in the morning till
twelve o'clock at night; about Ches-
terfield, the report l have had from
the superintendent is that they work
twenty-four hours, all thru the night,
in several of the mills there.
Q.-Are there many children and
young persons in those mills?
A.-The proportion is less in lace
mills than in others, but it is neces-
sary to have some of them. The pro-
cess Of winding and preparing the
holdings and carriages requires chill
dren. Those that l saw employed
were from ten to fifteen years of age.
Q.-Are the children detained in
the mills during considerable period
of the day and the night?
A.. l should say, that in most
of the mills they do detain them at
night. In some OF them the report
states that they are detained all night
in order to be ready when wanted.
Q.-Are the children that are so de-
tanned liable to be detained thru the
day, and do they sometimes begin
their work at twelve o'clock at night?
Ain the mills at Nottingham
there are owners that make it a rule
that they will not keep the children
after eight, or nine, or ten o'clock, ac-
cording to the inclination Of the mill
occupier.
Q.-Where are those children dur
ing the time they are detained in
the mill?
A.-When detained at night and not
employed, am told they are lying
about on the floor.
Oils II customary to close at eight
on Saturday evening In the lace mills?
Al think It is.
Q.--How then do they compensate
for the loss of those four hours work
in the mills?
A.-By working all night on Friday;
those are the mills in which they pay
30 much for. THAR nowar