The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-01
CONTRADIcTS ANDREW MARX Dr. Bash Talks of Avon
 dale Mills. sAYsn CONFORMS WITH LAW Replies to Public Charge Made by
 Labor Leader. The state Prssol and Fsetery rnspee- tor Say. Thst He Recently I.spect- ed the Avondaie Mills and
 yesad EvsrytAi.E sstis-
 factory.
SAYsH CONFORMS WITH LAW

Replying to the public statement or President Andrew Marx. of the Aia- bama Federation of Labor. made Tn Mobile few days ago. in which GOV ernor Conner was accused of employing children under twelve years old in the Avondaie Mill. pr. c. E. Bush. state NH and Prison inspectos. who has latelv Completed the Inspection Of the Ayondale, declared last night that the Avondaie Mill complied with the Child Labor Law in every respect. so Tar as he found.
 Inssrnuch as he has made an inspec- ton of the Avondale MIL pr. Bush considers the statement of the labor leader as, in way, an affront to him- self. As soon as he reached Mont gomery yesterday. thus gaining his srst respite from pressing work. and hia first chance at Q reply. he told that in his opinion as inspector. the state ment of Marx was unaurhorised oy fact.
 pr. Bush will make his ofIicial re- port on the Avondale inspection with in few days. having been prevented by rush of other duties. and he says that his report will bear out his state ment. that the child labor law is cosnr piled with in the Governors mill.
 He talked freely of his inspeotion q the mill.
 T notice that President Marx" he said, fin his annual address before the State Federation of Labor. made the statement, upon the authority of . ''lady expert" that the Avonds1e Cot. ton Mill Is employing children in vso- iation of law. To be more correct. he says there are many children in the Avondale Min of tender years too young for such work. I take 1t that he means that children under twelve years of age are being worked in the Avondale mill
 towing to the fact that it Is my duty to enforce the child labor law In the State of Alabama. I wish to say that on April sth. 1909. I visited the Avon dale Cotton Mill and made thorough inspection of every room. and every part of every room of the building
 q gave special attention to the children. There are affidavits on file in the Probate oh1ce of Jefferson county tor every child employed in the Avon dale Mill. and copies of these afhdavits are on file in my office in Montgomery. These afiidavits. as the law requires. are made by the parents,-or guardians. of the children. and specifically state that the children are twelve years of age (the ag9 required by lawl or above as the case may be. Affidavits are re- quired and are on file for every child between the ages of twelve and eigh- teen.
 T have made it A yFvls not to acaeRt afidavits as full and ssufiicient proof. but when am satisned that any ohild is under the age required by law. I At once order, its removal from the mills
 Y found no children in the Avon dale Mill whom consiJered under twelve years of age. I found the mill complying with the child labor law in every respect. and employing high class labor.
 T have only been in office few months but In that short time. I have put forth every effort possible to fa- miliarize myself with the child labor law. and the cotton, mill situation in Alabama, and to enforce the law fairly and justly. do not claim to be an expert. but if some expert will furnish me suficient evidence that children under twelve years of age are being worked in the mills of the State. l will see to it that the violators are punished to the full extent of the law.
 When the Governor appointed me to my present position, he insisted that ] enforce the child labor law in every mill of the State, without fear or fa- vor. and, in my every effort to do SO, have his full endorsement and CO., operation,
 Tt is my. desire and purpose to &C., complish something in the way of re- stricting child labor in Alabama, ani if people wish to aid us. would suggest that they give us more proof of vio- lations, and less newspaper talk.''