Evening journal., 1915-01-08
MOULD NrLLIFY THE LAW.

mat the legislature. at its present session amend the
Child Labor law SO that the appointment and control
OF the inspector shall i'm the governor and not IN
the commission, Such change IN our opinion would
be serious mistake The inevitable result would be
the destruction emascuation Of the commission and
the nullihcaton Of the Child Labor Law because it
would relieve the inspector from that direct and con-
stant supervision which makes for good work
If the commission be worthy of being entrusted with
tho task of administering that law for the benefit Of
the childhood OF Delaware il assuredly is worthy Of
heins entrusted with the task of selecting the Inspector
directing hs work after he has been selected and dis
cplnng him should ne fail perform his duties salts
factoriiy II would be The height of imprudence TO
place am INSPECTOR in a position that would make him
in any sense independent Of the commission and its
legitimate control OF his activities
Nor do think that the governor of this state no
matter who he may be, should be bothered with such
am appointment and the ceaseless annoyances which
inevitably would accompany it because of his RESPONSE
by for The inspector named. lie has too many i'm
nofant ddcsi 10 perform 10 be involved from time
TO time in controversies between employers and the
commission and the inspector or between the COM
mission and the inspector Nor should he the party
he represents be compelled TO submit to the public
criticism tlat would attend the work of am inefficient
dishonest Inspector
The natural situation with respect the Child Labor
law is tho that exists at present That is for a
non-partisan commission TO have charge of the ad-
mnisratcn Of the law and also to have inspector
who recognizes fully the administrative authority of
the commission both with respect the law and TO
himself 10 be forgotten that in import
the law; next TO that the commission and
next to that the inspector In the minds of many per-
the Gibbons matter seems to have led to an in
verted idea Of the relative importance Of the several
elements in the situation.
We would remind readers however, that the
question Of removing the appointment of the Child
Labor Inspector from tho state Child Labor Commission
is drastic than at first appears Il means
abolishing the commission, since the junction of the
commission is to administer the law by supervising
the inspector, and removing him if he be not efficient
in It's enforcement
AZ the meeting of the National Child Labor Confer
ence in Washington this week reports came in from
various states saying that supervision of inspectors
omitted in many Child Labor laws, and the results
were bad one State. where the governor appointed
the inspectors. newlyelected governor of different
political Saith removed every inspector but after
his election that being woman, who had no party
ties THIS removed who had been working from
three to eight years. and who had gained experience
which had made them valuable The new men could
not properly enforce the law for lack of knowledge
and the whole situation bad for the public. Super
vision OF the inspector by body not in politics wa.
looked upon by the National Child Labor Conferepc'
the ideal thing
That is what is actually provided for in our Owl
Delaware law. BY abolishine the Delaware Child
Labor Commission. and throwing the appointment I,
the governor what is gained? Simply the point tina
his place shall be political appointment with nc
thorough supervision subject TO change by any change
in administration. For many years this the stua
ton in Delaware; and it to remedy il that tn
commission established II has now. in its frs
year. removed inspector the ground that, in III
judgment he did not enforce the law efficiently. Thi
shows it at least to be body living up to its power
and principles
The that the inspector objects is not surprising
1t is said tuat no man has ever before been removes
by an official body in Delaware for inefciency. Man
| persons contend that the precedent is wholesom
one tho inspector is likely to do his work NOR
accurately energehcally because he is supervise
| by active commission, which is willing TO brav
criticism when it considers that it is doing its dut,
Such a commission, as have said, may make mis-
takes but it will learn from them and must gain froI
them in experience and wisdom continually.
The remedy, If be needed, is in the Suprem
Court Of Delaware which appoints the members of tn
Child Labor Commission. and which can. each yea
change one-half of the personnel This prevents an
continuance Of unfit members and is Of the bes
provisions Of the law. There four members of tn
commission whose terms will expire this year. The
are John NJ. Mendinhall, the chairman; Mrs. Ella
Emery. Miss Emily p Bssell and Benjamin A. Haze
The appontive power vests in the Supreme Court
may be relied upon to do the right thing In addto
il may bo said that the terms of Irenee dupont Andre
Marvel. jeremiah II. Coady and Mrs. Benah Watso
viii expire next year Therefore. under such cond
tions thc court has the commission wel i'm hand an
is impossible for tyranny to hold protracted swa
even If the commissioners disposed to indulge
it, which is not likely
The Child Labor law loses Of its merit bccau
the commission and its inspector cannot agree n,
does the fact that six of the eight commissioners 81
IL to so record saying that inspector is Il
I Efficient supply proper ground for legislative acu,
l. which, because of its very nature. inevitably wou
make tho commission itself inefficient Wisdom d
s taes that the Legislature refuse 20 become a party
a regrettable controversy which far things prs
=. ticei affected closed the instant that six
~ the eight commissioners voted for the removal OF
"A spector Gibbons.
II WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHERS.
~ About the only wav for the aged Franz Josef IN