Call to Service

The Great War, from 1914 to 1918, hastened many changes in the American news trade that transformed both the meaning and experience of child street peddling. The war redefined the role of children in civic affairs and enhanced newsboys’ reputation for patriotism. From New York to Seattle, peddling papers came to be regarded less as a demoralizing form of labor and more as a branch of national service. Child labor reformers, many of whom opposed the war, lost much of their clout, while publishers gained stature and profit mobilizing newsboys to sell war bonds and form Scout troops. Thousands of former newsboys became part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) and dozens won distinction for heroism. Those too young to bear arms sometimes showed their mettle by harassing “slackers” or German Americans. Yet boys who cried false news or mounted strikes faced their own charges of disloyalty. Whether as soldiers, sailors, strikers, or street sellers, America’s newsboys now entered the world’s stage.