194 



THE NEXT GENERATION 



Miss Goldmark says that between 1830 and 1840 there 

 was such a change in the appearance of factory people who 



had been overworking in 

 England for two generations 

 that eyewitnesses were horri- 

 fied. 1 They saw " a race of 

 pale, stunted, and emaciated 

 creatures, irregular in their 

 lives and dissolute in their 

 habits " a race " whose 

 only hope seems to be that 

 the race will die out in two 

 or three generations." 



Dr. Ellis speaks of the 

 London weavers and draws 

 our attention to a medical 

 report which states that 

 " though not originally a 

 large race, it formerly con- 

 tained healthy and well-made 

 men." But, as the report 

 gives it, " the whole race of 

 them is rapidly descending 

 to the size of Lilliputians ; 

 you could not raise a grena- 

 dier company amongst them . ' ' 

 To a country that wishes to 

 be ready for war at any time 

 this decrease in size is a 

 serious matter. And the same working and living conditions 

 are producing the same result in other European countries. 



1 See " Fatigue and Efficiency," by Josephine Goldmark. 



SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GULF-COAST 

 WORKER 



She "shucks oysters" for twenty-five 

 cents a day 



