Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-12
CONGRESS MAY ACT
ON VICE CONDITIONS
Findings of Illinois Probers Will
Probably Be Basis for
Federal Action.
CHILD LABOR LAWS MAY
BE PASSED AT SAME TIME
These Latter Have Been Urged
for Years, but With In
different Success.
Star Bureau.
Metropolitan National Bank Bldg.
alnrn c.anl.A. o

WASHINGTON, MAX II.
Disclosures made in Chicago by the
& Illinois legislative commission as to
the close relation. between the white
slave traffic and low wages for work
Ing women are likely to have the
effect of bringing the subject of a
minimum wage for women before
Congress.
Minimum wage laws were declared
for as part of the platform of the
Progressive party last fall, and while
there was no Democratic declaration
on the subject, there are many Demo-
Gratis who are in sympathy with the
< proposition, and who have been
aroused by the Chicago investigation.
The Illinois commission has set $l2
week as the minimum wage that
should be paid to women working in
stores and factories,
If this question comes before Con-
gross there will probably be a
4 lengthy debate as TO the right of the
y United States to attempt to fix min
\ imum wage. There is no denial of
the right of Congress to fix such
wage in the District of Columbia, but
B there are many States rights advo-
4 Gates who, while in sympathy with
: the purpose of the suggested legisla-
ton. will oppose federal efforts to
\ override the rights of the States in
this matter
A whip for the Factories.
1t is not impossible that the plan
which will be offered for establishing
a national minimum wage will be by
proposing that the products of fac
tories where less than this wage is
paid shall be barred from interstate
(. traffic. This was the method urged
+ by Senator Beveridge a few years ago
for national anti-child labor law,
and, while there was a long debate on
4 the subject, the Indiana man was
generally admitted to have proved his
plea that the federal government has
the right and the power to say what
conditions shall prevail in the produce
ton of articles that enter into inter-
state commerce.
. The national child labor law, agi-
tated for years. has never been
assed by Congress. To this, as well
as to the minimum wage proposal,
much of the opposition comes from
the Southern States, and is voiced by
Democratic congressman from tho
South, where wages, hours and work.
ing and living conditions among the
employees in the cotton factories are
as bad as in any of the factory cities
OF the North, or worse.
How NeaiI Stands.
Just how the majority party would
be likely to divide If these questions
affecting the profits of Southern fac
tories were raised is suggested by
the effort now being made by Senator
BENJAMIN Tillman, of South Carolina,
to prevent the confirmation of
Charles p. Neall, nominated by Presl
dent Wilson to succeed himself as
chief of the bureau of labor. Neall's
offense is that he sent agents into
the Southern States to make reports
of labor conditions in the cotton fac
tories there and his agents found
conditions very bad indeed and re-
ported them to be SOC AT once the
congressman from these States, APP
pealed to by the manufacturing inter
Vests. raised a hue and cry against
Neall for incorporating conditions.
9This was all fought out two or three
wears ago. and Neall showed that IL
his reports had misrepresented con-
ditions it was by minimizing rather
than exaggerating conditions. Now
Tillman and other Southern senators
are trying to revive the issue.
Nobody seems to know what stand
President Wilson will be likely -
take as to child labor and minimum
: WAGES. but it seems reasonably GER
tain that he will have to deal with
both questions before the end of the
first session of Congress under his adj
ministration. IL. b. w.