Evening journal., 1914-12-30
UPRObDS THE Child
LABOR commission
Henry B. Thompson Thinks
Mr.. Gibbons Isn't Fitted
Temperamentally For
Inspector
WONDERS WHY He WAS
NAMED ORIGINALLY


Henry b. Thompson, MANUFACTURER
and president OF the Child Labor Com
mission appointed by the Legislature
of 1911 10 draft a child labor law that
resulted IN enactment of the present
child labor law has sent a letter to
two Wilmington newspapers in sup
port of the present commissions ac-
ton in requesting the resignation of
Child Labor Inspector William J..
Gibbons. Mr.. Thompson was for
! many years a member of the Joseph
Bancroft and Sons Company and now
is president of the United States Fin
ishing Company He also is a per-
sonal friend of Inspector Gibbons.
Mr.. Thompson's letter is as follows:
"Greenville PdetotIice, Delaware,
t.s rDecember %, l9li
"To the Editor Of Every Evening
/ You and the Morning News have taken
common issue on the removal of Mr.
Gibbons from tlie position of child labor
inspector. While T. believe the com
mission is quite wen able TO defend
itself. nevertheless as. tue situation AZ
described TO the publicsis a bit muddy
may ! attempt to clear itg
81 have known Mr.. Gibbons intimately
for twenty-five years. For twenty-five
years he was foreman in the Bancroft
Company when l was an officer, anc
during that period was in almost
daily contact with him. Our relations
were always friendly and still are. Mr.
/ Gibbons will bear out this statement.
"In spite of many admirable quail
ties, / do not think that he is fitted
by temperament or training to hold
the position of Child Labor Inspector
Why he was originally appointed has
always been a subject of wonder to
me All talk about star chamber
methods and Mr.. Gibbons Ignorance
and innocence of why the commits
sion should so act is, (pardOn the
expression). newspaper bosh.'
Let us argue the case from our own
personal experience. II you have a
man in your employ subordinate tC
yourself whose ideals are contrary
to yours, whose continued actions
impair the work for which you are
ultimately responsible. you are ap
TO say to him. If you want to hole
your job you want to work my way.
am responsible here, not you. Con
tinued persistence on his part in hi
own methods ends one way You de
eide you will run the Office on th'
theory that the tail must not wal
the dog
"The Child Labor Commission Il
responsible for the enforcement an,
Interpretation of the law. Mr.. Glib
bons was appointed by them and wa
subordinate to them. They are quit
within their rights. if they believe
man incompetent. to remove him.
Last summer Mr.. Gibbons came 4
my home to talk over a matter in con
nection with his position. II wa
very evident to me at that time tina
he was i'm hot water with his commits
e sion. He told me the law was wron
and he intended TO get the bogisla
ture to amend II. and evidently fel
r his authority superseded the commits
e sion and the law I gave him m
n opinion at that ime Of his method
/, and point Of view. but it was eviden
}. he had decided TO boss the job
o The shock inflicted on the pubic
3. the crying public demand for invest
G cation. might with some propriety ,
T. labelled made by Gibbons.
70 "As 10 the commission They ha'
CONTINUED on Page p