The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-02

Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute," is slogan that once served to stir the nation to Vlg- ilance in the protection Of It's rlshIs' A question which will confront Con gress when it convenes on DecemDer 6 is the relation of possible fn1llloiis for defense to, the social welfare or the nations people. Surely the coun- tries of Europe have come to realize that in equipping themselves for war the welfare of their people IS Dy no means the least factor.
 Failure to secure early considera- ton of bills was one of the ch1ef req sons for the disappointing results Tn social legislation before the last Con gress. The Palmer-Owen child la bor bill, for instance, passed the House but the objection of a single senator-Overman of North Caro- lina-killed 5it- in the upper cham per- The second campaign for the Dill IS now going forward with vigor in the hands of the National Child Laoor Committee. The expectation is that Senator Owen and Representative Keating will introduce it.
 The Child Labor Bill.
 The bill prohibits interstate com naerce- of goods in the production of which children under A have work ed in mills, factories, cannerieS or workshops; children under 16 have worked in mines or quarries; children between A and 16 have worked at night or more than eight hours a day in factories.
 Those who are urging the measure point out that it protects not only the nations children but enlightened en- p1oyers as well, for it would remove any disadvantage which a nanufac- turer in a state with advanced laws
 may feel that he has~in competition with manufacturers in states with lower standards.
 Another measure designed to regu- late the conditions under which goods are manufactured through federal au- lthorfty over interstate commerce, is the bill concerning the products o1 | convict labor. $ A state may regulate 1 it's own convict labor but 1t cannot bar conWtct-made goods coming in | from another state. The Booher-
 Hughes bin, as it was known at the times. A year ago it was favorably l reported by the senate committee, but never came to vote.
 l This bill and a new one designed 1 to consolidate the prison activities of the federal government are par 1 ticu1ar1y urged by the National Com 1 nittee on Prisons and Prison Labor At present these activities, are seat tered through various departments The management of the three federal
 prisons and three Jails and control
 over federal prfsoners-some 4,0O0 ot them in aII-comes under the Depart
 nent of Justfce. All prison construc- Sion work is done by the Interior De partment which also maintains a hos pital for convicts, while the gather ing of statistics regarding prison in
 
 Labor.
 Commissioner of Prisons.
 The new bill will provide for a commissioner of prisons in whose of fee would be concentrated /an of the activities mentioned,7 with the duties of Investigating administration. hous- ing and social hygiene of prisoners educational methods for their rehab- f1itatton, systensseof pardon and pa role.
 Health measures before the. next Congress will include the bill to create a. division of merta1 hygiene and TUT al sanitation in the Public Health Ser vice, which was considered last year 8 bill to create a commission for. the study. of tuberculosis, and a bill tc provide federal subsidies for local atu- bercu1osts hospitals.
 The new duties proposed for the Public Health Service by it's own re- quest are to deal with mental disor- ders to encourage improved. methods of rural and industrial sanitati ons and to dessinninate among farmers and others information for the proven tion of communicable diseases
 The plan for a, federal commission on tuberculosis has been endorsed by l four sectional conferences on tuber- t.cuIosfs and the American Public I Health Association. They point. out that last year, while $18,000, O0O7Gwas spent in the United States for insti- 1 tutfonaI care and treatment, less thar