The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-10
Mrs. Beverley Munford Destroys
Her Opponents Argument
With a Few Questions.
CANNOT SUSPEND LAWS
Hearing Before House Committee
Almost Broken Up By Reply
to Col Withers' Argument.

How a brilliant woman by a few
simple. direct words can utterly ami
hiiate the technical argument of a
trained attorney was shown Thurs.
day morning before the House Com
mittee on General Laws. when Mrs.
Beverley Munford, of this city, In
advocating child labor laws practi-
caily destroyed In less than three min
utes great structural defence which
Colonel Eugene Withers. attorney tor
the Danviiie Knitting Mills. had been
nearly an hour In upbuilding.
The bills under discussion before
the committee were the West and
Stebbins labor measures, which would
allow the women and children TO
work more than ten hours a day In
order that they may labor not less
than sixty hours week and still
have a half-holiday every Saturday.
Doherty Opposes Bill.
Commissioner James B. Doherty. of
the State Department of Labor, OPP
posed the passage of these measures
showing that their enactment would
destroy conditions which the de-
partment had been many years In
bringing about. and would not only go
far towards shortening the lives of
many women and children employed
In factories. but would exert de-
generating influence over future gen.
erations.
1t was shown that the idea of de-
stroying the present child labor laws
had been forced to an issue by Secre-
tary L. b. Conway, of the Danville
knitting Mills. who has now an ap-
peal pending in the Supreme Court
Of Virginia from "A recent conviction
in the lower courts for violation of
la Dor laws.
1t was shown that Mr.. Conday had
written letters to a number of the
larger manufacturers OF the State
asking their cooperation in bringing
AN end to the present law affecting
the working hours of women and chill
dren.
Sentiment for Half Holiday.
Popular sentiment has compelled
manufacturers to close little earlier
Saturday They are now trying TO
make up for this lost time" 1t was
pointed out. either by cutting into the
dinner hour of the women and chill
dren or by making them work later
in the evening. -
Commissioner Doherty then submit
ted a statement showing the number
of hours worked by laboring men.
Colonel Withers SPEAKS.
Colonel Withers, then announcing
himself as the attorney for the Dan
Vile knitting mills. offered as an
amendment to the bills the provision
that any factory could by local OPP
ton decide whether II would be bound
by the State labor law. He followed
this with an able defense. showing the
advantages which would result.
Mrs. Munford Replies.
Near the close of, Colonel Withers'
defense Mrs Munford asked II labor
laws were very less important than
health laws, and II any unorganized
body of people in time of smallpox
epidemic could decide that the law
providing vaccination should not ap-
ply to them, and II delicate women
and children in a mill could vote to
suspend the State laws, and If Col
onel withers' amendment were exact
III in accord with certain constitu-
ton recently adopted by the State
Mrs. Munford took her seat amid
storm of applause. Even the stern
and austere committee members were
laughing and patting each other on
the back.
The committee will report the bills
next week.