Evening journal., 1915-02-08
BURCHENAL DEFENDS
OUSTINC OF Inspector
Continued from Page ID

Wilmington; that this is the same |
Miss Bissell who originated the Red |
Cross stamp which has been sold all I
over the world for the purpose Of /
relieving stricken humanity; that
this is the same Miss Bissell who, as
one of the contributors of The Out
look. under the name of Priscilla
Leonard" and "The Spectator" has
become a parsonage known through
out the United states and whose lit
erary contributions have charmed
the whole country; that this is the
same Miss Bissell who has worked
with hundreds of other men and
women on commissions and in char
ity work in harmony, and whose no.
BILE work has been an honor TO her
self and a valuable contribution TO
her State. Surely the character. ser
vices and past record OF such "a
woman must speak loudly before the
bar of public justice when the ques-
tion is raised as 10 the propriety Of
the act which she has done
On the other hand, the records
show beyond denial that the Child
Labor Inspector issued during The
time he was i'm Office 632 certificates
to children, of which number 455
certificates were invalid or wrongly
issued. that the same inspector issued
50S permits in the street trades, OF
which permits 100 were wrongly
olassed and 1926 were invalid or
wrongly issued: that the same in
spector issued So permits to work
when under age, Of which permits 80
were issued contrary TO law. II is
no answer TO this TO say that the work
was done by the inspectors stenO-
grapher. II is the duty of the inspec-
tor to see that his stenographer does
the work correctly. Such unreliable
work is almost valueless Under
these facts alone. II certainly seems
that after the matter had been called
10 the inspectors attention and these
mistakes continued and the inspector
refused TO be advised by the mom-
hers Of the commission. who We're,
after all, his employers. then, in JUS
tice TO the public whose money was
being spent the commission could
not have done otherwise than dismiss
The inspector. The responsibility 10
the public Of seeing that the work OF
the inspector was correctly and eff
oiently done was theirs. and they
were appointed on the commission
for the purpose of seeing that the
inspector did his work properly, and
that the States money was not vast
ed
when Miss Bissell. as chairman
of the executive committee, realized
that she could not secure from the
inspector the class of work which she
felt should be done by said inspector.
She presented her resignation to the
Child Labor Commission, feeling that
she could not serve in a public capa-
city and allow the issuing of cortih-
Gates In the careless manner as
shown above. The commission then
passed judgment upon the value of
her services to the commission when
they refused 10 accept her resigna-
ton. Later. upon investigation by
committee from the Child Labor
Commission OF the work of the in
I spector, when that work was found
! below the requirements of the mem
bers of the commission. the inspec-
tors resignation was asked. This
the inspector declined to give the
] commission, and accordingly the
I commission discharged him. The in-
\ spector then raised a tremendous
! noise about his dismissal. which has
certainly jeopardlzed both the Child
Labor Law and the Child Labor Com
mission law. In other words, to put
the matter squarely the inspectors
acts In crying from the housetop
have endangered not only two ChilI
Labor laws, but apparently all legis-
lution of this character; and this
seems TO be of no concern to the
said inspector. which shows how
much interest he had in the children
| who are protected under such laws.
, The loss of any of these laws by
/ reason of a misunderstanding be-
/ tween the inspector and the commits
/ sion will certainly be a most lament
able fact TO the people of Delaware.
/ Ii is submitted that when, in the
/ judgment of six of the eight mem
bers of the Child Labor Commission,
il was found that the inspectors SER
. vices did not conform TO what the
members of the Commission deemed
we're necessary TO the fulhllment OF
his work. the said inspector should
have resigned quietly. and thereby
have saved TO the community the
laws which have for their protection
women and children.
This whole affair is certainly re-
srettable, but the notoriety which
has been given the affair is due 20
the advertisement made by the in
; spector and not to any advertisement
given 10 it by the commission. But. in
d this controversy OF personalities, let
as not lose sight of the main issue
involved. which is the preservation
OF the Child Labor laws and the laws
for the protection of women. and also
the maintenance Of proper system
b OF inspection under these laws. With.
& out proper inspection even the best
laws are absolutely worthless. Tn,
!. whole value of the law lies in a dill
< gent, fair and intelligent inspector
8. appointed in a way to make him FIRE,
10 from any political pull or bias"