The Washington times., 1908-05-07
HOUSE WILL PASS
CHILD LABOR BILL
Measure Will Be Called Up
on Day Fixed for Dis
trlct Legislation.
Congress Pages Exempt
From ProhibitionS-Kinds
of Work Barred.

As result of the Senate action in
Passing the child labor bin for the Dis
triet OF Columbia yesterday, President
roosevelt is about 10 see another of
ms pet bills enacted into law. There
Is no doubt that the House viii pass
the Dill, according 10 the present plans
OF the leaders of that body
Speaker Cannon has assured the
President that the bill will go through.
chairman Smi.n, Of the House District
committee, has taken the pains to sound
sentiment in the House regarding the
measure and he expressed himself to-
Gay as confident that it viii go through
NO decision has Yet been reached as
10 wnat time the bill viii be consider
eo' but it is thought that It Will be
brought up on a day set aside for Dis
tr1ct legislation, and that this will
come within the Eext week or ten days.
IL will be the first bill called IN. and
will be followed by the bill for 9O-cent
gas, and the measure repeating the in
1iation clause Of the Gas Monopoly
charter.
Bill Debated Four Hours.
The Senate passed the bill without di-
vision after four hours debate.
One important development IN the
course of the discussion was the an
nouncement from Senator Dolliver that
his committee, on Education and Labor
was getting ready TO present TO the
Senate a national child labor measure.
This announcement was received with
surprise. for a. was not known the
committee hat gone so far as TO commit
itself TO such legislation.
- d fsana
Galinger bill, with amendments. Sena-
tors Nelson and Piles succeeded in
modifying the bill as IL came from COM
mittee IN important particulars.
What bill FOrbids.
The bin as j. passed the Senate pro-
hibits the ennr Ioyment Of any child I'M
Ger fourteen in factory. workshop. de-
partment store, telegraph office. res
taurant saloon, Motel, apartment house,
pool room. theater. or billiard room. or
in carrying merchandise or messages.
No child under fourteen shall be en-
ployed for wages in any wOVk in school
hours, nor before a. m nor after 8
p. m.
The judge of the Juvenile Court may,
on application from proper parties,
issue permits for children 10 work IN
employment that viii not injure them
mentally. physically. or morally, II the
helm of such children is needed TO sup
port invalid Or disabled parents, broth
eis, or sisters
The Commissioners are authorized 10
appoint two inspectors TO enforce the
law. and prosecutions under the act are
10 be in the Police Court.
Senator Gallinger offered an amend
rnent to prevent the selling of news
papers by boys under fourteen. out un-
der strong objection from senator Mel
son II was Withdrawn
Senator Nelson secured the adoption
of an amendment 10 strike out the pro-
hibition against the employment or a
child in a mercantile establishment.
store or business office 1t was strongly
opposed. but was adopted by 3 10 p
senator Gallinger then succeeded IN Sc
curing the adoption OF an amendment
Inserting in place of the words stricken
out the words, department store.
Problem of the Pages.
The question OF what TO do about
the Senate pages as we'll as those OF
the House aroused brief discussion.
Senator Nelson pointed out that an
exception would have TO be made
10 allow these boys TO be retained in
the service.
II am entirely willing TO have an ex-
ception made in favor of the boys en-
ployed in the two houses of Congress"
replied Senator DOlliver. 1T is the
moral and intellectual problem Of child
labor 7 have been trying to reach i'm
this bill. 1 don't believe these boys
viii be morally injured by their assO-
citation with us here N the Senate-at
least I am not willing as yet 10 admit
as much
THE Senator. however" retorted Sen
RtOr Nelson. will admit that there are
n good many people who might not
agree with him even at that point"
True: and that's the reason why we
hesitated about making the exception
In drafting the bill replied Senator
Dolliver.