Evening journal., 1915-01-23

4 NN'hNh itt'htiA 'NNl tHt dctloH Vi tNt
Child Labor Commission in dismissng
the state Child Labor Inspector.
Under the law. as we understand
It, the commission is given the power
to employ, and when the State Child
Labor Inspector performs his duties
in an unsatisfactory manner. to dis
charge him by a majority vote We're
the State Child Labor Inspector moth
ing but an employee. we feel that
there would be no reason for investi-
eating the circumstances leading up
to his dismissal, but the State Child
Labor Inspector is something more
than an official. He is in fact a State
officer, created by law, having certain
duties to perform. prescribed by law,
having a contingent fund which may
be expended. by the said State Child
Labor Inspector upon his own volition.
and his salary being paid directly by
the State Treasurer.
"In consideration of the fact that
the State Child Labor Inspector is an
officer of the State. we deem it proper.
that as a part of our investigation of
the Child Labor Commission. it is
proper to learn the facts leading up
to the employment of, and the sub
sequent dismissal of the late State
Child Labor Inspector.
"This however, we conceive TO be
r but a small part of our inquiries.
, which to be of real service to the
General Assembly, and TO the people
n of this State. must necessarily be Of
v much wider scope
AT this time. I wish to draw the
= attention of the members of the Child
r Labor Commission. to the fact that
= this committee is not here to investi-
- gate the conduct of any member OF
o the Child Labor Commission. or even
the conduct of all the members of the
f Child Labor Commission. but to inves-
l. tigate the Child Labor Commission as
8 a whole, apart from the several uIits
which compose it. I take it that the
y real purpose Of our investigation is:
First. To ascertain whether the
, Child Labor Commission is in itself
necessary as an instrument in the
" operation Of the uniform Child Labor
e Law.
Second. Whether the Commission
. as il is now constituted, that is ,on-
= sisting of eight members. is or is moi
/ too undieldy to be a Ineffective instru-
I ment.
n Third. Whether greater powers
n should be given to the commission OF
k the powers it already has should hs
y. curtailed.
!. Fourth. Whether the personnel ot
n the commission should remain as II
J. is, composed of members of botl
n sexes, or whether its purpose nigh
a. or might not be better effectuated by
a commission composed entirely o
+ men or entirely of women.
NJ 81 shall now read the certified con,
I of the resolution under which mi,
,r commission is acting. I will further
say that Mr.. Jones. as legislative at
10 torney, appears for the legislativ,
= committee. / might also add 10 wha
a have said. that in view of the fac
4 that the time for the Introduction o
- new business in the General Assem-
"a bly, grows short, we wish TO max,
this investigation as quickly as posi-
Bile, TO the end that our report ma,
a. be formulated. and our recommenda
- tions made to the General Assembl,
= in such time. that it may. if Il deems
proper, present new bills in relation
to the Child Labor Commission or tn
No. uniform Child Labor law"
- The procedure then was turnet
~ over 10 Mr.. Jones, attorney, to con
4. duct. He called Miss Emily p. Bis
Ia sell as the first witness. In respons
~ to Mr.. Jones. Miss Bissell told of he
p. activities, as one of a commission O
q. five members, in securing passage O
of the Child Labor law by the Legisla
Ia ture two years ago. The presen
Child Labor Commission was appoint
n. ed early in 1918 by the court, sh
h. said
od Mr.. Jones asked Miss Bissell if an
or suggestions were made to the cour
IS. about persons to be appointed o
m the commission. and she said she be
,e. lieved Henry B, Thompson, OF
n. commission that drafted the law. sus
OF gested some names. This was at tn
g. suggestion of Chancellor Curtis, sh
ns thought.
Miss Bissell said Miss Hookner, G
lv Baltimore, a Maryland child labo
of worker. conferred with the commits
e. sion about the appointment of a
inspector and enforcing the Law
en- There we're about thirty applicant
= for child labor inspector, Miss Bis
sell said. She considered Mr.. Gibbon
NJ. application barred because of the ae
NJ. limit Of 45 the commission fixed
She asserted that the commissio
NJ. as a whole did not know that tn
NJ. name of William ]. Gibbons was I
,ne be brought up at the meeting
which he was elected. She said sh
y Mr.. Mendinhall. Mrs. Watson an
!, Mrs. Emery did not know his nan
, II was to come up. "We did not haN
chance to look up his references
P she said Mr.. Hazel and Mr.. CoaC
were the principal advocates of NJ
Gibbons. Miss Bissell said. The voI
was 4 TO 3 for a while, but when q
statement was made that Mr.. Gibbor
would not be a partisan. Miss Bisse
said. 1t had much weight with Il
women on the commission. Miss Bi
4, sell said she had known Mr.. GibboI
: TO be partisan worker for 25 year
and she feared il might be a partisa
appointment. 1--WE were deceived {
} that point by Mr.. Hazel" said Mi
Bissell. Il was opposed 20 Mr Gil
- Continued On Page Two.