PAGE THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUTH AGAINST CHILD LABOR...... 9 POVERTY AND PARENTAL DEPENDENCE AS AN OBSTACLE TO CHILD LABOR REFORM BY HOMER FOLKS, Vice-Chairman of the National Child Labor Committee, New York. The history of efforts for child labor legislation shows that they usually pass through three stages before reaching final success. When an agitation for a child labor law is started the first objection raised to it is that there are no children employed, or not at least any considerable number. After good people have gone to the mines and factories and have counted the children, and have gathered undeniable data disproving that statement, the next objection. that is brought forward is that while there may be some children employed, after all such employment is a good thing for the children, and some very eminent men are named as having been employed in their childhood, by reason of which they became very distinguished when grown up. After further research as to the evil effects of child labor, such as has been made at great length by our two assistant secretaries, and by many others, and after it has demonstrated beyond question that this employment of children is bad for the children, there still remains one stronghold to be taken. It is then said: Well, yes, there are some children employed, and that perhaps it is not altogether exactly what one would regard as ideal, but nevertheless the earnings of these children are absolutely necessary for the maintenance of their families. Many of them, it is said, are the children of widows. In other cases their fathers have deserted or are ill, and, except for the earnings of these children, the families would suffer and might starve. That is the final stronghold to be captured by the friends of progressive legislation, not only for the restriction of child labor, but also for compulsory school attendance and for the exclusion of children from certain occupations dangerous to health or morals. |