American Worker

The Mafia and Child Labor            In the 1800s, early 1900s, it was very common for children and teens to be working in harsh and dirty working areas for little to no pay.  Since the children had to work, they couldn't go to school and their life-time earnings were reduced.  The kids were often abused and neglected and some were not old enough to work a machine.  It was common for mob members to sell orphans and kids into factories and receive their pay.  Many bosses would get away with paying the kids nothing. The mafia, and mobs alike both played a part in this crime. They would take advantage of children, mostly children of immigrants, and put them in sweatshops or other harsh labor for little or no pay. Children were normally better for these tasks than adults because their hands were smaller, and their bodies could fit into smaller caves and caverns. For example, children were often used in sweatshops where fabrics were made because their fingers were more nimble and could move about the strings more freely. Children were also more useful in mining because they could get down into small areas where adults could not reach. They also could be lowered into caves easier because they were lighter. A picture of this can be seen above; it was taken in Pennsylvania in 1910.       (LEFT)- Young boy working in a dirty and dangerous conditions while his pay is given to a crimelord.