Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-06
KILL AMENDMENTS
TO CHILD LABOR
[Continued from First paee.1

CONTINUED from First Pare.1
tistics showed that children were be-
ing exploited and that captains of in
dustry were constantly inaugurating
projects for betterment of conditions
or Juvenile employees. The Delaware
member declared no one commended
the general assembly of 1913 for its
women's employment law and that
none of the members who advocated
oil hours in the child labor bill last
session had been reelected.
Mr. Baldwin said that there was no
demand for a 51-hour schedule from
the juvenile workers or their parents.
but II came from propagandists. The
workers, said he, are not petitioning
for an eight-hour law and he declared
that there are wan and weak children
in schools as well as in mills. In clos
ing he said the parents could be de-
pended upon to know more about
what is better than members of or
ganizations.
mo Popular Demand,
Mr.. Stein, Allegheny, saying he came
from district where he worked as
boy declared that the agitation to
cut down hours did not come from
the plain people but from those ''who
don't know conditions" lie said there
were too many folks with theories in
III CIlilu l3DOT ana I0aI Wnat
was wanted was not sympathy, but
practical help. These people. he said,
have a habit of putting their hands
in their pockets and giving three
cheers for the poor" Mr.. Stein said
Ex-Governor John K. Tener was a
good specimen of one who worked
when . child.
Mr.. Cox declared that as twenty one
states had eight-hour laws for minors,
Pennsylvania should join the process
sion.
w. II. Wilson, Philadelphia. in OBJ
Jecting TO this amendment said in tex
tiles people We're paid piece work and
naturally the employees endeavored to
make all they could. The keystone e
State should advance and not follow
Europe in fixing hours for labor as
serted Mr.. Wilson.
Mr.. Hess, Lancaster, in opening his
remarks asked if increased leisure
meant increased efficiency. I'VE have
got to look to the farmer boy for the
travelling men, said he referring to
1.-THE fact that there is no scale of hours
on the farm. 1t is not in hours of
work that many break down their
health said Mr.. Hess. Many of the
leading men of the country grew up
on the farm and never heard of an
lelght-hour law He warned that the
House would either vote to keep in
jobs or vote to throw out of employ
ment thousands of deserving young
people.
Mr.. Habgood. Mexican, supported
the amendment.
Roney on Farm Work
Answering Mr.. Hess, Mr.. Roney, of
Philadelphia, said boys could work ten
hours outdoors on a farm when they
could not stand eight hours in fac
tory. He said that the House should
not refuse to give to children what it
would not dare to refuse to adults in
regulation of hours of labor The
Philadelphian asserted the enactment
OF the law would not cost anyone a Job
despite warnings. The amendment was
also opposed by Mr.. Boyer, Philadel-
phia, who praised the Governor for
| the stand he had taken regardless of
what he did on other bills.
! MIR. Cromer, Allegheny, said the AL
llegheny manufacturers had not asked
| him TO oppose the administration bill
| Mr.. Baldwin said in replying to Mr.
I Roney that the city boy had environ
ment that was not as good for him as
the farmer lad. Mr.. Wilson read ex-
tracts from letters from manufacturers
in other States that the lower hours
for minors had been beneficial.
| The previous question was then
moved by Mr.. Barnett, York.
| Governor Sends Letter
Before the debate began each mem
ber of the House received this letter
from Governor Brumbaugh regarding
the bill: Uilp-
House bill No. 78o-the Cox child
labor biil-has been prepared with
great care and after frequent con-
ferences with all parties in interest
who cared to be heard. The bill is an
earnest attempt to deal humanely by
childhood and justly by manufactur-
ers. Its one new feature is the voca-
tional school. This is unique in this
country. 1t is well established sys-
tenn of education in other advanced
countries. In effect it will put the
schools forward many years and make
them speedily the efficient servants
| of the young people who wish to pre-
pare for an industrial career. 1t is
the most far-reaching and beneficient
feature of the bill.
These schools can readily be estab-
| lished. They are needed. The cost
| is not prohibitive. The service is un-
questionably of the greatest import
ance. They simply provide that eight
hours - arranged in appropriate
periods-of each working week shall
be spent in schoo1. rhis breaks the
present sudden, abrupt change from
school life. TO work life. 1t gives a
learner in industry exactly what he
ineeds-an intelligent director in his
new field of effort. 1t gives to indus
| try in a much shorter time than now
a better trained and more efficient
worker. This industry should have.
This will assuredly be to the advan-
tfge of our great and important manu-
featuring interests.
THE hours in this bill are fair.
lattainable with no essential sacrifice
of service to industry and in the inter-
ests of the working child and the Com
monwealth. The bill is the outgrowth
of my life work in education. | earn
estly ask your support in its speedy