The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-22
Determined Bureau of La
Dor Should Make In
Vestigation.
Makes Public Letters OF the
Subject by Secretary
StrauS.
Explains Why Census Bu-
reau Should Not Do
the Work.

That the President has by no means
abandoned the fight 10 secure Congress
siOnal authorization for the investigation
OF the child labor subject TO be done
by the Bureau OF Labor was today made
evident by the publication Of additional
correspondence bearing on the subject.
Yesterday the House scored one against
the President by voting for the Appro-
priations Committee report, which desig-
mates the Census Bureau as the Gov
ernmental agent to do the work.
The latest letters in the case are both
written by Secretary Straus, of the De-
parment of Commerce and Labor, and
are as follows:
Letter to the President.
February q. 1907.
My Dear Mr.. President:
! have the honor TO acknowledge the
receipt this morning OF your letter Of
the Goth instant, expressing your Judg-
ment that the investigation into the
conditions OF woman and child labor
should unquestionably be made by the
Bureau of Labor. 1 thoroughly agree
with you in this conclusion, and In
my several conferences with Commits
sioner NELL, the last one on yesterday,
and also with Director North. OF the
Census Bureau, it was decided that in
order for the proposed investigation to
produce practical results Il should not
be undertaken by the Bureau OF Census,
which is not equipped TO make re-
searches of the kind contemplated.
which will be largely SOCIOLOGICAL in
their nature, but should be performed
by tho Bureau OF Labor. which Is the
"a in, - a.
properly make the investigation
l have the honor further TO advise you,
Mr.. President, that / accordingly ad-
dressed letter to Hon. James A. Taw-
preparations, House of Representatives.
Ga copy Of which is herewith enclosed
calling this subject to his attention.
Very truly yours,
OSCAR S. sTRAUS.
The President. the White House.
Letter to Mr.. Tawney.
February q. 1907
Hon. James A. Tawney, House Of Rep
resentatives, Washington. d. c.
Dear Sir;-In the sundry civil bill just
reported to the House. 1 note that the
appropriation made for carrying out the
investigation into the conditions Of wo-
men and children wage-earners directs,
in effect, the carrying out of this in
vestigarion under the Bureau of the
Census.
l feel that the investigation directed
in the act recently passed by Congress
is not one that properly belongs to the
Bureau of the Census. II IS not the kind
OF investigation that the Census Bureau
IS equipped TO carry on and is outside
the proper scope Of census work The
Bureau OF the Genius has Just published
a bulletin on child labor and is about to
publish another bulletin regarding yyo-
men In industry. Both these publications
ere exceedingly valuable but they COM
pIete the investigation so far as the
census methods are concerned.
The further. investigation directed by
Congress in one which, both on account
OF It's nature and the character of in
Vestigation required. belongs properly
under the Bureau of Labor and not I'M
der the Bureau of the Census, Both
the Director Of the Census and the Com
missioner OF Labor agree with me thor
oughly in this view, and | feel that from
every point OF view IL would be mad
visable and unfortunate TO place work
of this character upon the Census Blu
reau Instead of leaving 1t to be carried
on by the Bureau of Labor.
/ trust that the committee will see its
way clear so to amend the provision OF
the sundry civil bill. making appropria-
ton for investigating the Conditions OF
women and children wage-earners. as to
permit the department to have the in
vestigation carried out by the Bureau of
Labor with the cooperation Of the Ru-
reau OF the Census In any cases I'm
which this cO-oeeratiOn can be made
effective. Very truly yours,
OSCAR s. STRAUS.