Middletown transcript., 1915-01-30

men William ]. Gibbons a bitter ep-
ponent Of all Child, Labor reform, and
pensioner of big manufacturing Com
any which is also opposed to all Child
Labor legislation.
That their purpose in thus putting
the execution Of the law in the hands
of man who was opposed to the law,
was to hamstring its efficiency, is
shown by the fact that in the same year
wherein Miss Malone as inspector under
the Woman's Labor law at salary of
$1,000, with no travelling expense fund,
made 1000 visits ali over the state, this
politician Gibbons for the snug salary
of $1,000, plus $500 for travel expenses,
made only 800 visitsl
And when Miss Bissel the chosen
Chairman of the Commission, told Glib
bons his work as inspector was not sat
isfactory, this employe of the Commits
sion-that is what the law calls him
insulted her, on one occasion as lady
witness told the writer, snatched a
paper out her hands and told her she
didn't know she was talking about"
The law expressly gave the Commits
sion power to discharge forthwith
any unsatisfactory inspector. At last,
after enduring Gibbons insolence and
inefficiency for months. six out of
eight members of the Commission,
upon his refusal to resign, removed
him.
. Now these Democratic politicians,
backed up by greedy Big Business eager
to exploit inhumanely the Womanhood
and Childhood of our state, have drawn
their hireling knives to ass assinate both
the Child Labor and the Woman Labor
laws, and are buttoaholing this Legis-
lature to undo the beneficient legisla-
tion of 1918 which at last placed this
laggard state abreast of the 40 other
states that have enacted similar and in
some cases more liberal laws govern
ing the employment of women and
children.
Many business men who opposed the
Woman Labor law before its passage,
now admit the law is wise, and that it
has worked no hardship to their bust
ness. Its provisions are SO arranged
as to interfere but little with the usual
hours required by fair employers of fe-
male labor-12 hours being allowed on
one day in the week, and the schedule
of hours being flexible enough to suit
any class of business.
But suppose does little interfere
with business. ;" are not the Woman
hood and Childhood of Delaware a
thousand times worth the paltry pelf
they cost! Women and Children are
the very foundation stones upon which
our Commonwealth is buiIded, and
shall this Legislature permit covetous
money grubbers orintriguing politicians
to tamper with these foundation
stones! God forbid! Delaware is
marching forward-not backward!
Here is sample of the business hog
hishness it does interfere with: in Will
mington where in five different estab-
lishments, the work houus are 6S, 66, 81
76 and 80 hours weekin Milford, IA IL
before Christmas, 50; in Laurel. 6S-
before Christmas. so; in Harrington,
rs hours week; in Rehoboth S4 hours
a week, and in ons small town in store
and postoffice combined 80 hours in E
week of daysl
Finally, these. dastardly politicians
are herein seeking to injure and degrade
the foremost woman in the state, Mis-.
Emily P. Bissell the author of the
Child Labor Law, and who, aside from
other eminent services in the field Of
Philanthropy, as the originator of the
now famous RED Cross Christina,
Stamp" which this year real zed al
most 1000, 600 to fight tho awfu
White Plague. has conferred the high
est distinction upon her state not les
than imperishable honor upon herself.
The Middletown Century Club unani
mously endorses these reform laws an,
Indignantly protests against their re
peal or emasculation.