Truth A PLEA FOR CHILD SLAVES.

NZ Truth, Issue 240, 12 February 1910, Page 4

Truth

A PLEA FOR CHILD SLAVES.

Published evesy Satubday Mobning at Luke's Lane (off Mannebsstbebt), Wellington, N.Z. Subscription (m advance), 13s, > - pee annum.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1910.

Many New Zealand newspapers at the present time are making appeals for halp towards the Fresh Air' Frond, a fond which is run m the Cold Country for the purpose of sending slum children for a short space to the country. The fund is good enough m its way, though "Troth" thinks Pearson, the proprietor of the London "Standard," may /run it more as an advertisement than from any very great philanthropic motive; but what "Truth" wants to stand on with both feet is the action of the promoter of the fund m carrying his advertising of his rag into remote parks of the Empire by means of appeals for help. Nobody wants to deny as a general thing that the poor of the Elapse are a charge upon the people of tfes whole Empire ; but it can still be argued that each part of the i Empire has a primary duty to its own poor, aad should not be called upon to contrfbnje towards the general body of the Empire's poverty until it has thor<mshly dealt with its own particular load of pauperism. It may he true that there toe 308,000 slum children m London aloae, and that perhaps the majority of them, have never seen a green field or the ocean ; it is also equally true that the country has wealthy people ' who could make cash donations to ensure all the slum children of the country getting a short yearly holiday m the country ; and whet is more, England's array of aristocracy and plutocracy could, by agreeing to ths Budget proposals, materially reduce the body ' of pauperism m the country, and that without the moral degradation (on both sides) caused by the giving of alms. England's dukes and such are largely responsible for the condition of the workers, and until it is proved that they have done what is possible to alleviate the sufferings of their poor, no other part of the Empire should be called on to contribute funds— least of all by a self-advertising plutocratic journalist.

Oae New Zealand journal, m boosting up this appeal, beads its article, "The Cry of the Children," and remarks :— "What are they crying lor ? For fresh air, for green fields, for the music of the sea. Rut we do not hear them crying. No, not ia this country." Now, everybody knows that this is a lie, though not everybody is willing to allow that it is, and "Truth" doesn't exactly blame those who see fit to risk their immortal souls by lying rather than say anything reflecting m the slightest degree on the credit of the country ; but is it not pitiful to hear our poor children crying (and all can hear them except those who desire not to hear) and to see their existence denied, not for the purpose of shielding the good name of the country, but merely to raise money to do the work which should be done by the aristocratic anomalies and social slugs whose primary Christian duty it is. We certainly have our" p_oor, and it behoves those who desire to contribute to the fund for fresh air for English paupers and advertisement to the London "Standard" to examine themselves and ascertain if they have done their share m the amelioration of the conditions of the poor within their gates before they send money to relieve English dukes and moneyed men of their duty to the poor within their gates.

The newspaper aforementioned proceeds to remark : "The holidays are just about ever. We are coming back m troops from

the country, where we have had a glorious time." Just so. The town folk have all been to the country and have had "a glorious time" ; but is it to be supposed, that all the people who need rest a4id change live m the towns, or that the town-dweller is the only party whose health is worth guarding m the interests of the prosperity of the country ? "Truth" doesn't think so ; and suggests that among the children who live m the country there is room for effort m the amelioration of bard conditions of life. There can be no doubt that our legislation has made it almost impossible for boys and girls m the towns to be sweated under such conditions as m the old country go far to build up the permanently poor and the hereditarily pauperised ; but can the same be said of out country children, who belong to the class which is the back-hone of the country ? It can not. In the districts where Cow is the god, sweating of a fearful nature takes place, and m all farming districts children are made to do hard work from year's end to year's end, and are totally unfitted because of their unremitting labor, to become decently educated. These children, then, if not our poorest, certainly demand much philanthropic labor m lifting them oat of a life comparable only to that of a dumb animal, and "Truth 1 - suggests that the people who desire fto ease the lot of the Empire's poor and oppressed should keep their eyes on this part of the Empire, which, being close at hand, can be properly understood and more readily remedied.