Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL
Newspaper Page Text
JUDGE SAYS DAVIS PLAYS TO THE GALLERY "State Factory Inspector Ed gar T. Davies is playing to the gallery. He js trying to get a cheap reputation by prosecuting small offenders of the law. "Davies was criticized by sev eral wonien's organizations not long ago for neglect of duty. "He didn't like that, and. so now he -is out with a gun for all the small, technical ofrendors against the law in order tqmafce a record. "He knows these cases cannot be convicted in court, but he in tends to flash the number of prosecutions he has started and the number of discharges the court has given in the faces of those who criticize him, and say: " 'See, I did my share, but the courts wouldn't convict, so what am I-to do?' It is just a case of his frying to shift his own neglect on to the shoulders of the courts'. "Not one of the cases fie'ha re cently brought against offehdors against the women's or child's la bor laws was within the true spirit of that law. They merely were technical violations of the law. "If DavTes really wished to make a real record, he would get out aner me ujg ucpamucni stores and factories,'. This was the way Judge Gem mill summed up the factory in spection stiuation today after 18 cases had been brought before him by factory inspectors, Saturday, Judge GemmiU criti cized the" factory inspectors for prosecuting technical violations of the law when there were so many violations of the spirit of the law going unpunished, . Of today's 13 cases, Judge Gem mill fined 7; discharged 5; con tinued 4, "and 2 were dismissed at the request of the prosecution. As an instance of the puerility of the charges being prosecuted, Gemmillpointed to the cases of Joseph Tichy, tailor, 1117 West 18th street, and of the Chicago Haircloth Co., 3109 Market square. Tichy employed two girls, both under 16. One of the girls brought a school certificate with her, The other djd not, but the girl and her mother told Tichy She was over 16, She also told a factory inspector she was over 16. Later, Tichy discovered that the girl was only 15, and imme- diately discharged her. Yet the factory inspectors had Tichy ar rested. Gemmill fined Tichy $5 and no costs. The case of the Chicago Hair cloth Co, dates months back. During the months of June, July and August, the girl em ployes or the company worked 10J4 hours day. This is a vio lation of the woman's ten-hour law. But investigation of the case showed, that in return for this etra XA oi an hour a day, the -company had agreed ta give the girls a half holiday on Saturday, and that during the remaining nine months of the year the girls worked only 9)4 hours a day.