TO REGULATE THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY

MONDAY, MAY 24, 1937

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON LABOR,
Washington, D. C.

The subcommittee met this day in the caucus room, Old House Office Building, at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Robert Ramspeck presiding. Present: Representatives Ramspeck, Smith, Welch, and Schneider. The ACTING CHAIRMAN. The subcommittee will come to order. We will now hear Miss Katharine F. Lenroot.

STATEMENT OF KATHARINE F. LENROOT, CHIEF OF THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU

Mr. RAMSPECK. The first witness this morning is Miss Katharine F. Lenroot, Chief of the Children's Bureau of the Department of Labor Miss LENROOT. In my testimony in the hearings held concerning the Ellenbogen bill in 1936 I introduced considerable material with reference to trends in child labor, and I thought possibly the committee would be interested in having some of that factual material brought up to date. I do not know how much material you wish me to place in the record, but I have some material with me, both as to legislation and as to trends of child labor since my previous testimony.

Mr. RAMSPECK. We shall be glad to have you place it in the record. Miss LENROOT. I thank you.

I have with me a summary of State laws affecting employment of minors in factories and stores, and the summary is brought up to date as of May 1937. I do not know whether the committee would like to have that inserted in the record.

Possibly the first page, which relates to minimum wages would be all that the committee might wish to have, but I will leave the matter with the committee for decision.

The basic legal standards applicable to the employment of minors under 18 years of age in factories and stores are shown in this summary. In general, only the basic standards are given, exemptions being omitted because of lack of space. However, all exceptions to the minimum age for employment in factories and stores are indicated. Although in many States these laws apply not only to work in factories and stores, but to all gainful occupations, the provisions that apply to other than factory or store employment are not included. Standards relating to employment and age certificates and to compulsory school attendance are also presented in this summary.

495

It reads as follows:

A SUMMARY OF STATE LAWS AFFECTING THE EMPLOYMENT OF MINORS IN FACTORIES AND STORES MAY 1937

16 years.

I. Minimum age for work in factories and stores

Connecticut, Montana (minimum age 16 applies only to factory and related employment; in most nonfactory occupations, minimum age is 14 during school hours; no minimum age outside school hours), New York (14 outside school hours in nonfactory occupations), Ohio (14 outside school hours), Pennsylvania (14 outside school hours in nonfactory and nonmechanical occupations), Rhode Island (14 outside school hours in nonfactory and nonmechanical establishments), Utah (14 outside school hours in specified nonfactory occupations), Wisconsin (14 outside school hours; 12 in certain nonfactory employments in vacation), North Carolina (14 outside school hours in nonfactory occupations; effective July 1937), South Carolina (no minimum age outside school hours in nonfactory extablishments). 15 years

California (14 outside school hours; 14 if child has completed eighth grade and services are needed for support; 12 in vacation and on school holidays), Maine (14 in factories outside school hours; no minimum age in stores outside school hours), Michigan (14 outside school hours), Texas (minimum age 15 applies only to factory and related employment; no minimum age in stores). 14 years-

3

4

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas,5 Colorado, Delaware,36 Florida,"
Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,58 Kansas, Kentucky, Loui-
siana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,5 8
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,"
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, 7 Tennessee,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia.3
No minimum age.

79

Wyoming."

Total...

Number of States 1 10

4

233

1

2 48

1 16-year minimum age in textile establishments established by stipulation in Department of Labor regulations suspending night work provision for women in textile manufacturing. Legal authority for such suspension extended to April 1938 by Laws, 1937, ch. 153.

2 Also District of Columbia.

3 Minimum age 12 for boys.-In nonharmful occupations: Delaware (when not required to attend school); in stores: Alabama (during vacation); North Carolina (outside school hours); West Virginia (outside school hours).

Less than 14 or no minimum age for work in vacation and outside school hours.-Minimum age 12 in vacation: Colorado, Idaho, Oregon (if nonharmful); minimum age 10; Arizona (if nonharmful); New Jersey (outdoor employment); no minimum age: Nevada.

5 Work for parent exempted.-Arkansas (in vacation); Iowa; Missouri.

6 Poverty exemption.-Delaware; South Dakota; Washington (if child is 12 years of age and work is nonhazardous).

7 Less than 14 or no minimum age for work in stores.-Minimum age 12: Florida; no minimum age: Georgia; Oklahoma; Vermont; no minimum age outside school hours: Minnesota; New Mexico; South Dakota. 8 Small establishments exempted.-Minimum age 12 outside school hours in industries employing less than 6: Missouri; no minimum age in stores employing less than 8: Iowa.

• Less than 14 or no minimum age for canneries.-No minimum age in fruit or vegetable canneries: Mississippi; 12 in fruit or vegetable canneries outside school hours: Virginia; exemption may be obtained for 2 months a year by industry manufacturing perishable products: Vermont.

10 Child required by law to attend school is prohibited from employment during school hours, but school attendance law contains a number of exemptions: Wyoming.

II. Maximum daily hours for minors in factories and stores

104-hour day.
1012-hour day.

No limitation.

III. Maximum weekly hours for minors in factories and stores

IV. Night work prohibited for minors in factories and stores

1 Work under 16 not permitted in factories.

2 No prohibition for stores.

3 Also District of Columbia.

• Cannery exemption; in New York the cannery exemption applies only to boys 16 to 18.