Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-29
CHILD labor Bill
WILL Be PUSHED
SITUATION IN CONGRESS sAAP-
ING FOR AGGRESSIVE CAM
PAlcN sY ERlENDs.
FsDERATioN or LABOR
BACKING MOVEMENT
Denies TO Have Child Labor Restricted
-+iouss Committee Makes Favor
able Report Early and Senate Cons
nsittss Expected to Act soon-Pew-
ssful Opposition Certain Because Of
Commerce Regulation Clause.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence.l
Washington. Jan. 29.-Child labor
legislation has become one Of the sub
jects Of acute interest in congress.
Favorable action on the Heating bill
in the house has for some time been
q foregone conclusion. The real ques-
ton Is what is the senate going to do
about It.
One OF the most common of prac-
tees in congress, when conflicting in
terests are clashing on proposed legis-
lation is to pass a bill in the house and
kill 1t In the senate, or to pass bill in
the senate and kill it in the house.
This practice has been employed before
with the child labor measure. An ef-
fort win be made once more to employ
it but whether it will succeed is a
matter of doubt.
This session, az never before, the
American Federation of Labor is press
ing for legislation to restrict child
labor. In part this is due to the fact
the federation has succeeded in get
ting congress to enact some of the inn
portant laws it has for years demanded.
The last congress did much in way of
labor legislation. This makes 1t pos
sible to center more attention on child
labor.
Opposition Certain.
The practice which the proponents OF
child legislation have adopted are those
best calculated to bring about senate
action. The house labor committee re-
ported the Heating bill quickly. That
made It possible to bring it before the
house early. The senate gets the bill
early in the session and II it Is disposed
of il, committee with reasonable expe-
dition It will not get caught In the jam
toward the close of the session.
However, 1t cannot be concealed that
there Is going to be a powerful oppo-
sition to child labor legislation In the
senate. Such opposition has been man
Tested for years. It has cropped out
conspiciously every time the subject has
come up. Former Senator Albert Jere-
miah Beveridge, Of Indiana, spoke out
for legislation on the child labor ques-
ton some years ago when In the SEN
ate. He got almost no support On the
other hand, he stirred up much opposls
ton, from some of the southern mill
states and New England n1anufactur-
ing centers. especially textile mill ms
terasts. Signs of the same opposition
are abundant
This. however. u not-the only diff
Guilty. The growing disposition Of con-
gress to make use Of the commerce
clause 81 the constitution to shut out OF
commerce what it doesn't like. is being
viewed with alarm by powerful inter-
ests. They perceive that this adoption
Of the commerce clause gives the gov
eminent a regulatory club of tremen-
dous power, almost unlimited power. in
fact. Already the friends Of prohibit
ton are seriously talking about a move
ment in congress to shut liquor out OF
commerce. It " because Of the opposi-
ton to every extension Of government
regulation thru the commerce clause
that part Of the difficulty Is found by
the friends Of child labor legislation in
getting results.