The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-26
Move For Federal Bureau Meets
Opposition
STARTLING REVELATIONS
From the Recent Investigation-Much of
the Report Unfit to Be Published
Bureau Would Have Power 20
Collect Information.

| Washington, JAN 26.--Several surpris-
ing statements were made in the Senate
yesterday in a debate on bill proposing
the creation of a national children's bu-
reau in Washington. Senator Oyerman
of North Carolina recalled that few
years ago Congress had appropriated
$4,000 to investigate the conditions UNI
der which women and children are en-
ployed in the factories and mines. The
result of this expenditure, he sid, was
report so obscene and offensive to
the people OF many communities that
a part of it was suppressed. Senator
Callinger said that he himself had read
some of the report and had blue pen
cilled it as absolutely unfit for pubica-
ton. While thirteen volumes of the re-
port had already been published, he
said, the manuscript of five volumes
was suppressed.
Didn't most of the complaints against
the report come from the owners and OPP
orators of cotton mills in the South I"
inquired Senator Dixon of Montana, a
defender OF the bill.
Senator 0yerman replied that the COM
from people in the counties of North
Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, in
which there were no mills. He charged
that the offensive reports related TO the
poorer people, who lived in cabins on
the mountainsides, and that the things
which the governments special agents
said about these inhabitants of the
South were simply outrageous.
Senator Dixon inquired how many
hours children were permitted to work
in cotton mills in North Carolina under
the state law. Senator 0verman believed
that the legislature had within a year
or two reduced the number of hours
day during which children could work
in the mills. Senator Dixon brought out
the fact that North Carolina now per-
mits children to work eleven hours
day in the mills.
Senator Borah, who is in charge of
the bill, maintained that the impor-
tant thing about the report was as to
its truth. He believed the only way in
which popular sentiment would be
aroused to the shocking conditions UNI
der which women and children now work
in industrial plants would be for
federal bureau to collect and publish
the information.
Senator Hepburn was severe in his
criticisms of the proposed legislation.
He charged that the measure was an
undue interference in domestic relations.
In defending the bill, Senator Borah
pointed out that the government had
created a bureau of animal industry to
Improve the health of breeds of cattle
and swine, and he thought the lawmak-
ers should do as much for the children of
the country.
II must object to putting children on
the same level with pigs" ssd Senator |
Bailey.
"The senator from Texas is mistak-
en-" replied Senator Borah. 1--WE are |
trying to raise the children above the /
level of pigs"
'"That is, of course, true if man |
believes that pigs and children are on
the same level now" retorted Mr.. Bail |
ey.
In the course of his opposition to the /
Senator Bailey observed that /
he had thought for some time that /
The bill was HARMLESS creation of a |
lot of meddlesome old women who had /
nothing else to do" but he was now
that it was intended ''to force
the hands of the states" He was re-
minded by Senator Borah that the leg
station was as proper as the creation
,f the bureau of animal industry or an
appropriation of 100000 which the gov
had made few years ago to
combat the ravages of the cotton boil
gecvil in the southern states.
Gapatnr yEorlyu af Cal;farn,a oHorad 1
III amendment to the bill providing that
.he information when collected should
not be distributed except to health Off
,ers. Senator Pomerene sought to modl
" this proposed amendment by limit
ng the distribution to persons who made
-equests for it without classifying them.
The bill proposes to create a bureau
With a chief and clerks, the expense of
which is to be about $4,000 year,
md the sole power given is to collect
regarding the condition of
lildren in the various states.