The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-04-14
Three Campaigns Against
Child Labor Are Opened
Stricting the hiring of minors as a
measure of temporary economic relief.
Reform Forces Gather

Reform Forces Gather
In addition to such government:
agencies as the Children's Bureau,
and the White House Conference on
Child Health and Protection, several
private organizations are prominently
identified with the child labor move
ment. The National Child Labor
Committee, National League of Wo-
men Voters. Consumers League, Ma
t;onal Federation of Women's Clubs.
Congress Of Parents and Teachers and
the welfare division of the American
Legion all are working for reform.
The American Federation of Labor.
vitality concerned with the cheap COM
petition of more than a million young
workers. is especially interested in Sc
curing ratification of the amendment
The Presidents Organization for
Unemployment Relief is promoting q
nationwide back to-School move
ment
When the complete 1850 census
figures are available opponents OF
child labor will have fresh statistical
ammunition with which to lombard
backward states.
There will be call for general
upward revision Of compulsory school
age laws. Miss Grace Abbott chic.
Of the Children's Bureau. has esti-
mated thai ir these 'a~'s ve~n hrcrrht
up to a 15-vear level all over the coun-
try. quarter of million children
would be released from industry. II
the school age were raised TO Is she
estimates that three times as many
would be withdrawn.
SociolCgists are prepared TO say that
child labor is social irritant; that il
creates bad feeling between employers
and working classes; that its abolition
would create a favorable effect on tha
unemployment situation far beyond
the actual number involved
Economists will tell how Child labor
acts as depressant of adult wage
scales. since immature minors and
their elders are in direct competition
when business is slack. They will pre-
dict the tonic effect of increased
spending power of adults when chill
dren are forced out of industry New
fields of employment also would be
opened: more teachers, school build
ings and school supplies would be
needed.
Although organized industry here
tofore has been blamed for oppos-
ing legal regulation of child labor,
there have been number of recent
instances in which employers them
selves have taken the lead in reform
Some Industries Lead
In 1881. for instance. the Cotton
Textile Institute voted to eliminate
night work for women and minors un-
der 10. About IS per cent Of the in
dustrv voluntarily acted accordingly.
Yet when bills which would have en-
forced this prohibition of night work
were introduced into the legislatures
of North and South Carolina, Maine
and New Hampshire, they were de-
feated.
In Florida executives of cigar fac
tories became convinced that youths
starting their apprenticeships at l8
make better and more cigars than
children from II to 10. AS result
the standard age for apprentices in
the Florida cigar industry, which en-
ploys more people than any other ir.
the state. is now 10.
Indicative also of the changing at
titude toward child labor of other pro-
oressive concerns is this statement
from the official organ of the Nation
a, Association of Manufacturers:
employers generally recognize tina:
child labor is rot profitable. They do
not want it. Immature children are
not capable of handling to advantage
expensive and complicated machin
ery."
So directors Of the present CAM
paign expect to be hampered more by
sheer inertia than by organized oppo-
sition. But economic arguments are
expected to overcome public indiffer-
ence.
when you employ children of IA
Or Is or younger you not only are
keeping adults out of jobs but you are
lowering their wage scale by the most
effective possible method-the CON-
petition of low-pay workers." said
Courtenay Dinwiddie, general secre-
tary of the National Child Labor Com
mittee. 1.-The children themselves are
losing their opportunities for better
education, and are being subjected to
physical strains and industrial haz-
ards for which they are unprepared
There is not a single state in the
Union that does not need to strength
en- it's laws, it's practices, or both. with
respect to child labor and education"
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