Evening star., 1932-12-14
WARNS OF SPREAD
!. IN CHILD LABOR
Miss Abbott Says Welfare
Workers View Coming
Year With Anxiety.

Child welfare workers throughout tne
country "look to the coming year with
much anxiety" Miss Grace Abbott,
chief Of the Children's Bureau of the
Labor Department, said in her annual
report made public today in summing
up the twentieth year Of this Federal
agency's activities.
She asserted, In discussing the effects
Of the depression upon child life: that
the standards Of welfare service for
children, which were slowly developed
during the years before the depression,
to make sure their interests are safe
guarded in the general economies which
the depression has made necessary"
Miss Abbott and Miss Frances Per-
kins, labor commissioner of New York
State, are receiving attention In polltl-
cal fields for the office OF secretary OF
Labor In the Roosevelt cabinet, and this
report, especially the comments on the
reported spread OF child labor during
the last three years, has been awaited
In labor circles.
Although a Republican, Miss Abbott
Is believed sure of reappointment to
her Office after March 4, because OF her
clash with some officials of the Hoover
administration during the fight for the
preservation Of her bureau against
Recommendation that part OF its func-
tions be transferred to the Pubic
Health Service in the agenda OF the
White House Conference for Child
Health and Protection.
100000 Victims.
The condition the Childran's Bureau
seeks to change is the depression
snomoly Of 100000 children under Is
years Of age working long 'hours IN
sweat-shops, in housework. in agricul-
ture, while 4.:i;;!!ts vainly seek work, SAID
MISS Atactt
Miss ABBOTT -eporced IN this respect
that where child-employing Industries
are still actively functioning, the de-
crease in the number Of children going
to work has been relatively small. In
fact" she asserted, there Is evidence
that In some localities the depression
has brought new demands for child
labor.
Recent reports from number OF
employment Offices indicate that the
largest opening for minors is in the do
mestic service, and demands in this
field are increasing rather than de,
creasing. AS many Of the States ana fna
domestic service. the increase in the
employment Of children In this field IS
not fully reflected in the records OF
work permits used.
Except so far as the decline in child
labor Is due to the Strengthening OF
child labor and school attendance laws,
Il cannot be considered as permanent.
The number Of children employed still
depends to a very large extent upon the
demand for child labor and the laws
regulating employment. With increase
IN employment opportunities. children
will doubtless be again drawn into In
dustry in large numbers unless the
State Legislatures raise the school,
leaving age"
A survey Of relief needs was under
taken by the bureau, Miss Abbott re-
ported, in areas Of extreme depression.
She reported undernourishment among
children was widespread.
TN many communities, she added,
s.the school principals and teachers have
taken the leadership in organizing some
relief for the children. Out OF their
own salaries and such other contrlbu-
tions as they were able to collect,
lunches have been provided at many
schools, and the teachers were also col
lecting and distributing clothing.
Transient Boys Need Aid.
national cooperation Is also needed IN
dealing with the problem OF the
thousands of transient boys discovered
through q bureau survey to be wander.
ing throughout the country. She
pointed out, however, that so far as
the Federal Government is concerned,
It Is generally agreed, even by those
who regard this as national problem
the Federal Government should not
undertake to care for the transientS d.
rectly; that is, Federal training camps
or Federal relief stations should not he
established.
Such financial assistance as Is given
should be administered through State
and local public agencies. Encourage
ment by the Federal Government OF
constructive provision for prevention
and treatment can come through an
educational program of financial as
sistance for sound plans developed by
local communities
Although infant mortality rates con-
tinue to be favorable in comparison
with previous years and there have been
no serious epidemics. reports have come
to the Children'S Bureau from COM
munities and agencies of different types
indicating the toll of the depression IN
terms Of the health of children, in
adequate relief to needy families and
decrease In milk consumption in GER
tain communities, cuts in child welfare
and public health nursing budgets re-
ported by health officers being among
the conditions reported to the bureau
as carrying serious implications for
child health" Miss Abbott said.