Important Speeches on Labour Conditions in Shanghai-
A tiffin of the Rotary Club was held at the Union Club yesterday, a large attendance of members and guests being present. Many ladies were there, among them Mrs. Henman, Mrs. Philip Peebles, Mrs. H. C. Mei, Mrs. E. Cunningham, Mrs. E. M. Gull, Miss Edith Johnston, and Miss Agatha Harrison.
The subject of the post-tiffin speeches was "Labour Conditions in Shanghai" and a most interesting symposium resulted. Professor C. F. Romer, of the Department of Economics at St. John's University, spoke of industrial conditions in the Orient as compared with their Western originals.
Mr. K. Elliott, manager of the Midland Packing Company, expressed himself as opposed to the absolute abolition of child labour in factories, as at his own factory they employed only boys over 12 on eight hour shifts and felt that they were giving them conditions far better than they would otherwise obtain.
Dr. C. T. Wang said that while not opposed to the abolition of child Jabour he felt that it should not be too abrupt and suggested the possibility of—employing children for four hours and then educating them for four hours.
Miss Agatha H€&rrison, of the Young Women's Christian Association, made a plea that immediate action to ameliorate conditions for workers in factories be instituted.
Mr. A. Brooke-Smith stated that the millowners, especially the foreigners, knew the conditions were anything but ideal and desired to better them. [t was, however, a question as to whether much would be gained by immediately shutting out the children. Legislation was needed as only through uniform requirements could justice be obtained since otherwise the more liberal employers would be obliged to meet unfair competition. J Dr. Henry Hodgkin stated that much could be done to improve conditions without waiting for legislation and cited the work of Rowntree in England and Nash in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.