. Debs in Tears at Sight of Breaker Boys
Great socialist visits coal mine in Shamokin, Pa.
Sept. 21, 1906
The Scranton Times
Moved to pity at the site of so many little boys working in and around the mines, Eugene V. Debs, the noted socialist, labor leader, and one- time candidate for president of the United States, broke into tears as he viewed the scene in and around the Camron breaker yesterday.
It was the great socialist's first visit to the hard coal region, and he was taken to the Cameron breaker. His heart went out in sympathy to the smudgy face breaker boys of tender years as he watched them, stooping over chutes. His voice trembled when he spoke and big tears, the tears of a strong man, coursed down his cheeks as he placed his hand upon the boys' shoulders, and asked them to be good until they grew up and would be relieved of the toil that is now sapping their bodies of its strength and vitality. It was a dramatic incident and Mr. Debs' escorts were visibly affected.
After coming out of the mine and breaker, Mr. Debs felt that the trip was a great lesson in more ways than one, but he declared, he had visited factories and mills, and other places where child labor almost approaching slavery existed, but the breaker he said is worse than any of these. He left last night for the western end of the state.
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