Little Pink Elephants

Once upon a time, on July 22, 1905, Florence Kelley delivered a moving speech about establishing child labor laws and improving work conditions. The purpose of her speech was this: the only way to bring about reform is to gain enfranchisement for women. Kelley supports her claim with her powerful rhetoric; it elicits everyone’s empathy and makes him or her want to help bring about these necessary changes. Her pathos is created by striking catalogues of abominable child labor statistics and makes her audience feel guilty for their own part in supporting the industry because these children “work for us” and “will do so tonight, while we sleep.” The children are “beasts of burden,” like little pink elephants, still young and innocent, but powerless and forced to labor through the harsh savanna “by day or by night.” However, Kelley interjects, there is a way to alleviate them of this “pitiful privilege.” It is not just Jesus who has the power to bring about change for the better, everyone has this power—through “the right of petition” and, hopefully, “the right to the ballot” as well. Today, thanks to the determination of people like Florence Kelley, women have the right to vote, work conditions have improved, and child labor laws are effective.