The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-24
Second Week of the Convention is
Carried on With Great Deal of
Interest - Woman's Suffrage
Passes With But One Dissent
ing Vote.
Big National Convention Holds
That Evils of Child Labor Gan
Only be Remedied by State Leg.
islation - Workers Urged to
Work Hard.
Hot Debate on Matter of Putting
Child Labor Question Before
Congress-Delegates Say States
Have Only Power to Regulate
Matter.
MONDAYS SESSION.

MONDAYS SESSION.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 22.-The
American Federation of Labor, in
convention in Minneapolis, has de-
clared for womans suffrage. With
only one dissenting vote the conven-
ton today adopted resolution which
calls upon the judiciary committee of
the national house of representatives.
to report to the house joint resolu-
ton No. sc, which provides for SUBJ
mitting to the legislatures an amend
ment to the constitution of the Unit
ed States allowing women to vote.
The A. F. of L. is pledged by the
resolution it adopted today to use its
efforts for woman's suffrage.
Child Labor Inquiries.
Debate over the relative desirable
ity of state and federal legislation on
child labor occupied much of the
morning session of the Federation Of
Labor in Normanna hall today.
Arguments which were old when
Webster and Calhoun were battling
on the floor of the senate over the
question of state sovereignty, were
paraphrased by the representatives of
organized labor in their discussion of
the best means of wiping out the evil
OF child labor. State legislation was
finally indOrsed by the combined
vote of those who held that under the
constitution congress could not legis-
late on the age of workers or. hours
of labor in the various states, and of
3~k, y
federal courts, wished laws which
would be enforced by judges more
directly answerable to the voters.
The resolution which brought on
this discussion was introduced by w.
l.. A. Johnson and Thomas F. Flynn,
delegates from the Brotherhood. of
Boilermakers and Iron Ship Builders.
After reciting the need ofslea{slation
on the subject of child labor and
pointing out that the various state
laws were conflicting and often in.
efficient, it called on the federation
to indOrse uniform child labor law
and cooperate with and assist the Ma
tional Child Labor association to Sc
| cure the passage of such bill in the
| next congress.
The committee on resolutions
| amended this resolution by striking
out the resolution calling for the in
dorsement of a uniform law and sub
stituting for the words "such a law
by the next congress-" the words "of
a law in the several states prohibit
ing the employment of children uu.
der 1G years of age" The committee
recommended the adoption of the
resolution as amended.
Gompers on the Floor.
! President Gompers was the first to
voice an objection to the resolution
2s amended. He pointed out that the
American Federation had borne the
brunt of the battle for the restric.
tion and limitation of child labor and
protested against putting it on record
as yielding that place to any other
organization. 1--WE should not he
said. take the position of co-opera
ton with this or any other organiza
ticn which has later taken up the
question. We do not want to be the
trail car of the train to run down child
! labor"
Delegate J. H. Walker took issue
CQd1
too often the federation had let mere
matters Of sentiment interfere with
getting results and that, for his part
he cared little who got the credit sc
long as the needed legislation was
secured. The difficulty was final,
adjusted by making the resolution
read cooperate with" instead of "co
operate and assist"
Mr.. Walker also raised the question
Of the desirability of federal law in
stead OF forty-five divergent state
laws. He argued that it was easier
to secure the enactment of a single
federal law than number of state
laws. Delegate w. B. Wilson argued
that congress had the power. unde7
the Interstate commerce clause of thu
constitution, to pass child labor law
and brought the issue squarely be
fore the convention moving that thu
clause "by the next congress-" ex
plunged by the committee, be rein
serted in the resolution.
What Congress Can Do.
Clear knowledge of the constitu
tional limitations of congress, couplet
with a ,distrust of the disposition q
the central legislature to conserv,
the rights of the laboring class, wer,
shown In an able argument made q,
this proposed amendment by Delegat,
Andrew Furnseth of the Internatfona
Seamen's union. y. :,
Congress can, under the interstat,
commerce clause, regulate the pro
ducts of labor said Mr.. Furuseth
"but it cannot legislate for labor.
do not consider that it is unfortunat
that this is so and I doubt the prud
ence Of any action looking towarl
such legislation at present,
I'VE do not want to extend tn
power OF congress- over labor hocau.