Evening journal., 1915-01-21

life which must be got rid Of Here
is the opportunity to discredlt her
Here are Gibbons charges of unfair
ness TO blind the people against the
real issue.
Aim al All Child Labor Laws.
THE plot against the womanhood
OF Delaware is deeper laid than even
those with a weather eye out for in
trigue suspect Before the end OF the
present session of the Legislature. It
is feared that other bills recently
passed for the protection of women
and children will be wiped off the
statute books unless the people who
put them there rouse the decent ele-
ment of the State from its lethargy
and fight the undermining power of
big business in its own stronghold
the State Capitol.
"fhe story of Miss Bissells strug-
gle to secure, and then have enforced,
a proper child labor law for Della
ware, until two years ago one of the
most callous States in the union in
its treatment of children in industry
Is the story OF every reform. In this
instance IT'S dramatic interest Is en-
HANGED by the fact that a woman with
a big heart and a big brain and an
overmastering sense of justice was
one of the prime actors in the pOliti-
cal drama.
Miss, Bissell who has given up
her life to social service, TO whom
Delaware owes it's anti-tuberculosis
work and one of its most important
settlements in the State, was one Of
the commission of two appointed TO
draft a child labor bill.
"The bill, much omasculated, pass
ed the Legislature in 1913, but Miss
Bissell. backed by the women of the
State, the social workers and those
who have child welfare at heart, was
satisfied to accept what had been
gained from Delaware's statesmen.
She set about seeing that Its proVi-
sions were properly enforced.
"The child labor law calls for "a
commission to enforce it and to be
responsible for the actions of its in
spector. this commission TO be ap-
pointed by the judges OF the Supreme
Court
Personnel of Commission
"The personnel Of the commission is
as followsi
Chairman. John Mendmhall, presi-
dent OF the Pusey and Jones Company
B. A. Hazel of Smyrna, who can be de-
pended upon to look out for the big
fellows of the State; Jeremiah Coady,
closely associated with the big manu-
featuring concern of Joseph Bancroft
Sons and Company; Andrew Marvel
brother of the former president oi the
,hambcr of Commerce, who was one OF
the chief antagonists of the woman
labor law at the last session OF the
/ Legislature. To offset these men there
were three women, Miss Bissell, Mrs
Beniab Watson of Dover, and Mrs Ella
J. c. Emery of Scaford.
"The iudnes' selection left the friends
of the children no alternative except 70
hope for the best from the commission
! TO watch il closely and depend largely
upon the influence of Miss Bissell. When
IT came TO the appointment of an I'M
/ spector. upon whom. under the commits
| sion. the entire burden of the proper en-
forcement of the law rests. it was viii
"a feeling of temerity that the socia
workers pleaded Tor man of wide eX
iperioncc and sound sOcini sense. me,
asked for one in no way connected VIII
the business interests of Delaware, an'
vet fair enough to co-opemtc with then
m the carrying out of the requirement
OF the law.
"Tms was denied them, and Gibbons
a well-known politician, former chair
imam of the Democratic City Commit
tee of Wilmington, for twenty fou
wears foreman of the Bancroft Com
pany, which employs children in IT
cotton mandatory, and at the time %
his employment pensioner of the com
Ipanv. was given the job.
Saw Children Exploited.
"NHss Bissell. with characteristic
charity and optimism, accepted the i'm
lcyitable and declared that she hoped Nj
Gibbons would realize his responsible
itv and do the work thoroughly She
however. as one of the cOmpittee i
charge of his activities, kept q careful
eve ont for violations of the law. !
. was not long before she realized tha
the law was not being enforced, tina
D. manufacturers were receiving libertie
they were not entitled TO, childn wer
. not receiving the protection that stat
/ intended fog them.
= Last June Miss Bissell compliance
of Gibbons and his inefllciency. ais
D of his efrontery TO her and member
OF the commission. She gave the com
mission proof of her contention tha
he was not the proper person e
handle the child labor situation O
tho State and she gained the supper
Of her colleagues in the body. wit
tine exception of Senator Hazel an
Mr. Coady. Gibbons, according
those who know the inside history q
the affair. was given a chance TO r.
sign This he refused to do, and !
December he was ousted.
/ "The commission held a private ser
= sion. and owing TO the chairman
, aversion to publicity. the newspaper
. were not given notice of its decision
This raised a storm OF protest
the State. Miss Bissell maintaine
that as servants of the people tl
: commissioners should give foil an
free publicity to the matter. but sl
was oyerruled by the other member
p who refused TO openly discuss tl
situation.
This was the cue needed by u
big business and political machine
the State. Here was a chance
defeat the aim Of the child lab,
-v people. to get rid Of an obnoXioi
rs law and wipe interfering women 70
ever of the map Of Delaware publ
y, life
a5 Newspapers Against Her.
ir "A cry of star chamber proceedin
Ia. was started. Gibbons made capital
his dismissal. the politicians revel