Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-07

After q lively debate. lasting more than
tAree hours. the Senate late yesterday
afternoon passed the child labor bill for
spe District introduced by Senator Gal
Hnger of New Hampshire. chairman of
fhe District committee. This is one of
the measures strongly urged upon Con-
Gress by the President in several of his
accent messages. Notwithstanding the
f9ct. however, that Senators Lodge of
Massachusetts, and Deliver of Iowa.
friends Of the bill. declared that the adop-
ton of an amendment presented by Sena-
tor Piles Of Washington would practical
ly annul the effect Of the measure. the
Piles amendment was adopted by a good
margin. the vote standing 81 to IL.
The Piles amendment provides that the
judge OF the Juvenile Court may grant
permits to children to work within the
prohibitions of the act If application is
made by parent. guardian or next
friend. and the judge Is shown that such
work is nece ssary for the support of the
child. or of its invalid or disabled parent
brother. or sister. and also that the work
will not be Injurious TO the child either
mentally, morally or physically.
Another amendment greatly changing
the sweeping character of the original
bill was presented by Senator Nelson of
Minnesota and adopted by a vote of % to
%.
upon ii. This allows children under four
teen years Of age to work In stores. mer-
camille establishments and business of
fees. As II stands the bill prohibits work
for children under fourteen years in fac
tories. workshops. department stores tele-
graph Offices. restaurants. saloons. hotels.
billiard and pool rooms. apartment
houses. bowling alleys or in the distribu-
ton Of merchandise or messages.
An attempt by Senator Nelson to have
mi a
twenty-one years was unsuccessful
The early passage of the bill was
brought about largely by Senator Bever-
idge's decision not to offer as an amend
ment to ii his national child labor bill.
for which he has been unable TO obtain
consideration at the hands of the COM
naittee on education and labor. Senator
Do!iiver. chairman. Mr.. Dolliver. who
floor yesterday. assured Mr.. Beveridge
that consideration would be given his bill
early next session, and this satisfied the
Indiana senator.
The longest debate on any provision Of
the bill was upon the Piles amendment
giving discretionary power to the Judge
IF the Juvenile Court.
Mr.. Lodges Contention.
1T seems to me from hearing the
amendment read said Mr.. Lodge. that
the senator from Washington can achieve
the bill. In the first place. 1t would con-
vert the judge into an executive officer
/ think it would put a Cuty on the court
that distinctly does not belong to a court
In the second place. instead of giving the
child rights. you take his rights from
him. because any one who wishes to en-
ploy his labor can go into court. make on;
a case. and the child would be perfectly
helpless. 1t appears to me that II would
be very destructive amendment to the
bill
II come from a state where there are
many industrial centers. where We have
stringent laws to prevent child labor
With such laws / have always been in
the most complete sympathy. and l think
no one can realize fully the misery OF
child labor unless he is familiar with in
dustrial centers and great cities where
child labor is seen In its worst form
We have body of inspectors in the
state to enforce the law. but even then.
with stringent laws and the best inspec-
ton w. can get. the greed of parents or
guardians persons who have control
Of helpless children leads to their en-
rloyment in all sorts of work I'm which
which stunts them physically, destroys
t,s-, morally. and prevents their ever
getting a suitable education
The Liberty Of the Child.
THE defeat of this hill had better fol-
low" declared Mr.. Piles. strongly as
favor II. than TO say to the fathers and
mothers of this country and to the chill
.dren themselves that hey may not 60
ihSo store or into ONCE in vacation
time. or at any time when the labor of
tn, child is necessary to temporarily pro-
vide for the father or the mother who is
IL or disabled. The greater portion Of my
lie has been spent upon the plains and in
the mountains. where men have had to
fight their way In the world. The best
oped through mans own efforts to better