Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1890 — THE TOILERS OF EUROPE, [ARTICLE]

THE TOILERS OF EUROPE,

HOW THEY ARE PROTECTED BY THe GOVERNMENTS. The Laws Regelating the Employment of Children—Education Not Nef looted—Rales Regarding Over* work. Boston Herald. ' Apropos of the unsettled condition of the labor market in this country, and especially in Boston, the following report from Consul Louis Gottschalk, of Stuttgart, on the labor laws of Europe ana their reference to the hours of work and the employment of children, recently made to the Secretary of State at Washington, will no doubt be found to contain a great deal of interest, both to the employer and employe, on this side of the Atlantic. In Germany it is positively forbidden to employ children under twelve in any manufactory, and those between twelve and fourteen years may only work six hours daily at the most, of which at least three hours must con. sist of necessary instruction. Children between fourteen and sixteen years may be employed for ten hours per day in general manufactories and in spinning works for eleven hours. Night work, which means between 8:30 p. m, and 5:30 a. m., as also Sunday work, is, for children, prohibited, except in cases of urgent necessity, when special permission must be obtained from the Bundesrath. For adult women there is comparatively very little protection in Germany. Married women are not allowed to resume work within three weeks after confinement. In all casea the Bundesrath has authority, through moral or healthful considerations, to either prohibit entirely the labor of-women in certain industries and conditions. It has also authority to prohibit night work, In a number of speoial trades—for instance, rolling mills, iron and glass works, wire works, dye works, cigar factories, etc.—these restrictions are vigorously enforced. Relative to those persons under eighteen years of age, of both sexes, employed in professions or trades otherwise than in factories, the employers are compelled by a special section of the German labor lawß to take all necessary precautions for the health and morals of their employes, and to allow same sufficient and ample time for the bettering of their condition by attending any educational institute. Similar rules, more generalized, exist in Austria also. There the new labor regulations exact that children under twelve years are entirely prohibited from working ; and those between twelve and fourteen years are restricted to eight hours per day, and only allowed to work at aU when it is evident that said work is not injurious. Other rules exist, also, for the protection of children, youths and women, among which is the ministerial decree of July 18, 1883, which makes it imperative in any manufacturing establishment employing more than twenty hands that the work be evenly divided between them, and to regularly change machines; to lessen the strain. In such manufactories children under fourteen years are not employed at all, and those from fourteen to sixteen years may only undertake such light work as could not impair their health or bodily growth. The ordinance must distinctly designate those manufactories in which women or children are allowed under certain conditions and Cose which prohibit their employment entirely. In thoso tpanufactories where the work consists of eleven hours out of the twenty-four without reckoning the pauses, woman or children are prohibited from any night work, which means from 8 p. m. to 5 a. m. In Hungary the law of November 1, 1884, is in full force. This law forbids the employment of children under ten years in manufactories, and allows those between ten and twelve years only by special permission of the trades authorities, and when the labor would not interfere with their attendance* at school. The working hodrs are fixed by the trade authorities at eight hours for children of twelve to fourteen years; ten hours for children of fourteen to sixteen years. Night and Sunday work is forbidden, as are also those industries dangerous to health or limbs, except by special permission. Women are not to be employed within four weeks after confinement. In Great Britain there are special laws governing the employment of women and children, which are reduced to a special code by the trades’ and manufacturers’ rules, issued on May 27, 1878. The substance of the very complicated law is as follows: In the textile industries the laboring hours for women, and children between fourteen and eighteen years are from six to seven hours in the morning and from six to seven hours in the afternoon, with two hours’ rest for meals, making altogether ten working hours per day. Children may only be employed so; six hours daily, or ten hours every other day. In the other manufactories the time is ten and onehalf hours for women and young persons, and six and one-half hours for children, or ten hours every other day. In housework the time for women and young people is fixed at ten and one* half hours, and children may only work from C a. m. to 1 p. m., or from 1 p. m. to 6 p. in., with a half-hour’s rest. The age at which children may be employed in manufactories and trades is placed at ten yearß; but they must, os * Iso all persons under sixteen years, have a physician’s certificate, whioh is shewn to their employer. In the more simple trades the bringing of a physician's certificate is optional. There are also conditions stated, where lie hours of labor may be prolonged above regular time. Night work 1*

forbidden for women, young girls and children. In France the regulations pertaining to labor of women and children are principally Hie outcome of the law of May 19, 1874. By the law the employment of children under twelve yean in manufactories as prohibited. But later, namely March 27, 1875, and March 1, 1877, exceptions were made in favor of the textile, glass and paper manufactories, but expressly states that every advantage must be allowed the children to visit school, and said children are not to be Employed more than ten hours daily. Between twelve and fourteen yean the law regulates the working hours by education. Those of that age with sufficient elementary education may work twelve hours per day; those with not, six houn per day. For all young people under sixteen years of age and all girls under twenty-one years night and Sunday work is forbidden. Switzerland passed a law on March 28, 1877, relating exclusively to manufactories, which oontains two clauses concerning women and children. This article, No. 15, prohibits entirely the employment of women for night or Sunday labor, and, furthermore, prohibits any such labor in the immediate vicinity-of operating motors or dangerous machinery. During confinement women must refrain from .working, altogether eight weeks, including time before and after, or to wait at least six weeks after delivery before resuming work. Should a woman also have a household to attend to in connection with working in a manufactory, she must leave the latter half an hour before regular dinner time, in case said dinner time is no longer than one and one-half hours. Children are prohibited, by article 16, from beginning work until the completion of their fourteenth year. From fifteen to the end qI the sixteenth year they may be employed, but the time, including school or religious instruction which they may at the same time be taking, must not excel eleven hours daily. In Belgium there is as yet virtually no protection for women and children. A bill was laid before the Chamber in 1887 to fix the minimum age for the employment of children in mines or manufactories at twelve years, and the maximum labor hours for those between twelve and eighteen years to be twelve hours, including one and onehalf hours’ rest; women,duringmonthly period, not to work at all. In the Netherlands a law was passed on May 5, 1889, which not only intends protecting laborers in manufactories and trades, but those employed in handwork and housework. This places working hours- for all women and girls, as well as boys under ten years, at eleven hours daily, only during 5 a. m. and 7. p. m., with at least one hour’s rest; night and Sunday work forbidden. The Italian law of February 11, 1886, forbids children of either sex to work in manufactories or mining who have not attained nine years, and forbids the same from underground work when they have not attained ten years. I Children between nine and fifteen may ! only work at the various trades when they bring a physician’s certificate! showing them physically capable of the labor-and the specified trade to be their choice. In unhealthy or dangerous work children under fifteen will have to obtain the royal permission. In the permissable manufactories children between nine and twelve years i may only work eight hours per day. I Night work is declared unhealthy and forbidden for children under twelve years, and for those between twelve land-fifteen years limited to six hours. Alt persons violating this law are sub- ! ject to a fine of from 50 to 100 lire for : each offense. The royal addition to | this law orders the keeping of trades books for use of children nine to fifteen years, and, furthermore, orders the mining engineers and inspectors to particularly watch the above rules, and that an annual report of the same must be made to the chamber. Denmark passed a law for the protection of children on May 23. In manufactories and trades children under ten years may not be employed; for children between ten and fourteen ( ! years only six and one-half hours per day, with half an hour’s rest; and from fourteen to eighteen years twelve hours per day, with tVvo hours’ rest. lii Sweden the law of January 1, 1882, is in. force, which forbids the employment of children under twelve years, those twelve to fourteen years only for six hours daily, and those between fourteen and eighteen years for ten hours daily. Night work for minors is forbidden. In mines and quarries boys under fourteen years and women or girls under eighteen years must have their work “changed about.” This law received an amendment on May 10, 1889, which, beside indorsing the above law, made & proprietor liable for any accidents to his employes caused by any fault of his. In Russia the law regulates the em ployment of women and children, the character of the manufactories, and the differences between employers and employes. By the law of June 1,1882, children under twelve years are forbidden in manufactories, with a few exceptions. Those between twelve and fifteen, not more thpn eight hours daily, or not more than four hours continually at one time; not allowed between 9 p. m. and 5 a. m., as also such industries !b dangerous to health. The law of June 8, 1885, forbids nightwork, 10 p. m. to 4 a. m., for children under seventeen years, and women in spinning or textile industries. Other laws compel employers to pay due attention to the education of their employes and the regulation of Wages. In Spain the law of July 24, 1878, forbids the employment of children under ten years; for boys under thirteen and girls under fourteen years, no mere than five hours dalljn for boys from thirteen to fifteen years and girls

from fourteen to eighteen years, not more than eight hours daily. Night work is forbidden for both sexes In those manufactories containing machinery. In the rest of the European countries there are at present no labor laws. Whereas most European countries have laws regulating the employment of' women and children in manufactories and trades, very few have touched upon, and then only lightly, the employment of men. This consists principally of the number of hours that constitute a day’s work and Sunday work. In Austria there is a law, Sec. 96, governing the maximum working hours for men. By this law a man may not work in manufactories or at trades more than eleven hours daily, not including rests. Exceptions can be made by permission from the Trades Minister, in conjunction with the Minister • of the Interior. In sudden and urgent cases the oonsent of the local authorities will suffice. In mining there is ■also" tt TOncral ~of Z June 21, 1884. Irregular laborers may, work twelve hours a day. and regular laborers not more than ten hours. There must be a rest of one and onebalf hours during the day, of which at least one hour is for dinner. Exceptions to this may also be made by the ministry.