Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1916-10-19
WASHINGTON NEWS
BY Edward Heating

q
credit the Gid lsbor law which
had the honcr to introduce in the
House of Representatives and which
was forced tarcngh TIE senate by
President Wilson after the cotton-mill
lobby had Imagined that It had sue
ceeded in ptgeonIl:caing lit.
The presidents opponents realize
that this ives enc ct the most popu-
lar pieces of legislation enacted by
the last congress and that dt has
drawn hundreds of thousands OF Pro-
gressives to the Wilson banner.
In order to confrs, TIE public. mind
some of the Republican papers are
shouting that there is a Joker" in
the law. The repItsblel Republican
leaders have refused to be parties
to the fake but the ''smaNl-fry'' pol
ittcians are very busy spreading THE
story.
OF course, there is not a word of
truth in TIE yarn. The child labor
bill was carefully drawn ard every
provision was sorutinized before be-
ing 80. KID"
Republicans Who Supported Bill.
Such eminent Republicans as Sem
ators La Follette, Crmmdns, Clapp
and Rcrah were among the champ
ions CT the bill in tire senate. Do
our Republican friends believe that
these men would enter into con-
spiracy to tmnco tie children of the
cch,,try?
On tire Democratic side, "Davy"
Lewis CT Maryland, the father of the
Parcel Pest, VITO went into coal
mine at nine and never saw the in
terror CT scicol until he was a
crown nan, was chairman of TIE
House Committee Which had charge
of the bill. or Owen of Okla
homa, most progressive Of Democrats
Senator John w. Kern of Indiana
and Senator Joe Robinson, great law
yers and great Democrats, were
among these WHO guided the bill
through the senate.
Would these n en- enter into a CON
sp'racy to foist a cruel fraud en- help
less children?
And finally, would President Will
son. himself great lawyer, tolerate
such vile fake?
CT course not. Tt e thing is un-
thinlkatle, and serves to demonstrate
that our Republican FRIENDS find
themselves in a position where the
TRUTH will no longer serve them and
they must resort to falselioods.
Secretary Wilson's Statement.
Secreatry CT Labor W'lltam B. Will
son has prepared a statement in re-
ply to the Republican attacks and
lie has sent ME copy. 1t is so
clear and temperate that l am pres
emitting it herewith, as follows:
my Dear Mr.. Heating:
THE much talked about joker in
the child labor law is supposed to
be contained in that portion of Sec
t,on one OF the act which reads as
follows:
THAT no producer, manufacture
Gu dealer shall ship or deliver for
shipment in interstate or foreign
commerce any article or commodity
tie product Of any mine or quarry,
situated in the United States, i'm
which Within Thirsty days rr:or to
the time of tire removal of such
product tierefrom children under the
age OF sixteen years have been en-
ployed or permitted to work, CIR any
article or commodity tire product of
any mill, cannery, wcrkshop, factory,
or manufacturing establishment, sit
uated in the United States, in which
within thirty days prior to THE re-
moval Of such product therefrom
years have been employed CIR per-
united to work, or children between
the ages Of fourteen years and six
teen years have been employed or
hours in any day, or mere than six
days i'm any week, on after the hour
of seven O'Clock post meridian, or be-
fore the hour of SIX O'Clock antemer-
idan.
mo one familiar with industrial
practices would for a moment imag-
Inc that any person or corporation
operating q mine, quarry, mill, work
shop. factory or manufacturing es-
tabllshment would regularly store
their product fer thirty days in or
der that they might employ child la
Dor, and so the seasonal industry of
lustration Of the alleged defect in
the law. 1t is asserted that all a
Gamer has to do is to store his
product for thirty days which he us