Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-06
HOUSE REJECTS 81
HOUR AMENDMENT TO
CHILD LABOR BILL
Efforts of Manufacturers
to Increase Working
Week Defeated = Night
Work and Continuation
School Jokers Spiked.

BALDWIN amendment to add a provision
10 the Cox child labor bill for %-hour
week. The defeat Of the amendment was
n signal victory for Governor Brumbaugh,
and came after debate of two hours and
n half. The fight against the amendment
was led by the Ware leaders in the House.
The fight centred around an effort by
manufacturers to amend the bill so as to
provide for a 1O-hour day and 54-hour
week.
The amendmentfor 54-hour week was
offered by Representative Baldwin, Of
Delaware The bill as It came out II
committee provided for a 9-hour day and
a week of 81 hours for all children under
16 years of age.
the employment of children under 10 for
ten hours n day, six days a week. with
the maximum number of hours placed
at 81 for the week. 1t further provided
that in weeks In which holidays occur the
children could be employed for two hours
overtime each day, and that whenever
the machinery in the factories and mills
might break down for 30 minutes or
longer this time could be made UP by
overtime work. 1t further provided that
the weeks work could be reapportioned
by the employers to provide for one or
more sHOIL udyS III lHe "tehs
cox FIGHTS AMENDMENT
Representative Edwin r, Cox, of Phla-
delphia, led the fight against the amend
ment.
81 oppose this amendment because 1t
would increase the hours from to 12."
he said. 1.-THE Pennsylvania Child Labor
Association insisted on an eight-hour day.
The manufacturers asked that 1t be made
n t.N.- H..
who has knowledge of child labor, agreed
TO meet them both half way and made
the day nine hours.
"The consensus of opinion is that
nine-hour day is above the physical en-
durance of the average child worker.
The Governor was willing to concede
nine hours because II Is at least step
forward.
1.-THE manufacturers must begin to real
ize that an eight-hour law will come into
effect in this State"
He attacked the manufacturers for
"having dollars and cents pour into their
Golfers by commercializng the child
LIPSCHUTz SUPPORTS cox.
Representative Lipschutz, of Philadel-
pha who succeeded John r. X. Scott In
the House. also upheld the Governors po-
sition Speaking of the continuation school
feature of the Cox bill. he said:
John Wanamaker has tried the edu-
cational feature in his establishment, and
his store now stands as a monument to
that plan"
professional correctors" were bitterly
attacked by Representative Baldwin, who
led the fight for the employers.
81 don't think the American manufac-
turers have tried to make exorbitant
profits at the expense of the lives of juve-
nile workers." he said. mo man can
produce statistics to prove such a con-
tentlon."
Representative Baldwin's argument was
that the 54-hour week is necessary in or
der to make the proposed law similar to
the womans hours of labor law of 1918.
ISSUE "BECLoUDED."
"There has been an attempt to becloud
the issue by bald statements that the
manufacturers want to subsidlze child
labor" he said. 1.-The question is whether
our industries should be handicapped
There is not a nation in Europe that has
not now law that provides for week
of 55 to 66 hours.
This amendment in no particular af-
fects this bill, other than to add three
more hours to the weeks work. Does
any one imagine that three more hours
will make any difference in the health of
the child workers?
hours of labor bill was before this House.
they told us that if we did not pass a
5O-hour law, the people would rise, rip and
drive us from the Legislature. The Sem
ate amended the bill to 81 hours and the |
House passed 1t. You hear no plea for |
90 hours in that law now.
we ought TO interfere with the indus |
tries of our State conservatively.
''The only comment 1 have heard of the |
womcn's G-hour law has been that 1t is |
too drastic. My amendment would make |
hours for Juveniles identical with those of |
the females. The textile industries en-
ploy mostly adult females, with juveniles
as helpers.
ANY law providing for less than "a.
hours would throw this large number of
children out OF employment In the great
manufacturing States that have an eight
hour law, the great Industrial plants
nave discharged nearly all of the child
workers.
Poor families" he continued, need
the helping hand of children who are
under 16 years of age.
ANY danger of children under 16 who
are physically unfit to work, being em-
pioyed," he said, "is we'll taken care OF
by the provision in the Cox bill requiring
physical examination OF children before
employment certificates are granted"
Representative Stein, of Allegheny, sup
Baldwin.
WILSON BLOCKS JOKER.
Representative Henry I. Wilson, OF
Jefferson. then called the attention of
'he members to the fact that the Bald
win amendment did not provide for the
continuation school feature and that II
the amendment passed I'm its original
tonm i'm the educational feature would be
AIued' Baldwin then amended his amend
pleht so as to include the school feature.
representative Baldwln's argument that
.he additlonal three hours would not
speelous' by Representative William H.
,speelous" by Representative William H.
wilson, OF Philadelphia. the Ware leader
~ the House. who spoke against the
amendment.
=. MOST or the women now employed in
ne textile mills are working on piece
nVrA' he continued. "And the woman's
'am OF 1913 does not ahfeot them.
tofIner long hours are not necessary
teuay'" he concluded, because OF the in
Sieased efficiency of factories. mills and
machinery"
LEISURE HURTS INDUSTRY"
representative Hess, OF Lancaster.
made direct appeal to the country"
members to support the Baldwin amend
Nent by asserting that the Industries are
now looking IN fha faruaa for their am !