The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1932-11-25
STOP CHILD LABOR
AFL COUNCIL SAYS

Cincinnati, Oh1o.-Vlgorous con-
demnation of employers who coin the
labor of children into profit was voic-
ed by the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor in its
report to the annual convention of the
federation in session at Cincinnati. To
remedy the evil the report urged the
prompt ratification of the child labor
amendment to the federal constitu-
ton.
Analysing government statistics on
the extent of child labor, the council
said:
"The census of 1880 showed that
over 100000 boys and girls between
the ages of 10 and 18 were gainfully
employed, a drop of % per cent in
decade. This decrease does not hold
for all parts of the country alike.
"While less than per cent of all
children between 10 and 16 years were
employed in the middle-Atlantic, east
north central and Pacific states, Is
per cent were employed in the east
south Atlantic, and 8 per cent in the
west south central.
"In Mississippi, one-fourth of al
the children between 10 and 16 were
at work; in South Carolina and Ala.
bama, 18 per cent, and in Georgia
Is per cent.
| "Two-thirds of all the children o.
10 to 13 years of age, inclusive, wht
were gainfully employed in the en-
tire country, were in seven Southern
States-North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
Arkansas and Louisiana-althougl
these same states had only 16 pc
cent of the total population of tn
children of these ages.
"The seven states along the south
Atlantic, with 16 per cent of the chill
dren of the United States from 10 t
| IS years of age, employed large
percentage of all children working
67 per cent of all those from 10 to 1
years old; "A per cent of all those l
to Is; and % per cent of all thos
16 and II years of age.
| During the decade, 1920-1930, Will
the number of children 10 to is year
of age employed in manufacturing
trade and other non-agricultural oc
cupations in the United States as
whole declined So per cent, there wa
an actual increase in the number
employed in these occupations L
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
On the evils of child labor in gen
eral and the obvious necessity OF fed
eral legislation to remedy the loN
standards which obtain in man
states, the council declared:
"The employment of children
any time, and especially during
period of such unprecedented adul
unemployment, is at variance witt
and incongruous to all declaration
of social policy and economic stabi
| ity. Obviously, there is need for tn
enactment of social policy into mar
datory legislation.
. "The increase of child labor in som
Southern States, the obvious compe
titive handicap which this present
to states endeavoring to raise tn
standards of protection to childrel
are new and convincing reasons TO
renewal of efforts to secure ratlflcs
ton of the child labor amendment.
"All state federations of labor ar
urged to put foremost on legislativ
programs for the coming sessions G
state legislatures, ratification OF tn
amendment. They are urged also t
unite with other groups interested
raise the protective standards
child labor and for compulsory scho'
attendance laws.
"We can turn our adversitles int
a gain for the children's welfare"