The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-09
CHILD LABOR BILL
PASSEDBY SENATE
Vote Stood 81 to IL on Meas
ure Demanded by the
President

Washington, August S-The Senate late
today passed the bill to prevent interstate
commerce in products of child labor by a
vote of 81 to II. The measure, which
already had passed the House, was
brought to a vote in the Senate upon
the insistance of President Wilson after
the democratic Senate caucus once had
decided to defer it's consideration until
next December
Senators who voted against the bill
were: Bankhead Alabama; Bryan and
Fletcher, Florida; Overman and Sim
mons, North Carolina; Smith and Till
man. South Carolina; Smith and Hard
wick, Georgia; Williams. Mississippi
(democrats), and Oliver and Penro.~
Pennsylvania, republicans.
COTTON MILLS OPPOSE
Opposition to the measure had come
chiefly from southern cotton mill own
ers, and the group Of southern democrats
who voted against it had fought it in
caucus and maintained their opposition
during the Senate debate on the ground
that the regulation proposed is uncon-
stitutional and would interfere with the
rights of the states. Eleven democrats
from the south, Senators Swanson and
Martin, Virginia; Underwood, Alabama
Vardaman. Mississippi; James and Beck
ham, Kentucky; Culberson and Sheppard,
Texas; Ransdell, Louisiana; Robinson,
Arkansas, and Shields, Tennessee, voted
for it.
Iona tor curI .,r1 eli M
Arkansas; Gore and Owen, Oklahoma,
and Lea, Tennessee, were absent, and
did not vote.
I'm order to expedite consideration of
the measure in conference, Senate con-
ferees were appointed Immediately after
the final vote. The only amendment
adopted would extend the bills provisions
to bar all products of establishments en-
ploying children from interstate COM
merce The House measure was directed
only against those on which child labor
actually had been employed.
Senator Borah did not offer the amend
ment he had drawn attaching the i'm
migration bill as a rider in order to
force action on it at this session. Amend
ments to make the prohibition apply only
to children under IA who could not read
nor write to make it apply to children
on farms, and to postpone its effective
date for two years were voted down.
OPERATION OF BILL
The bill as passed would prohibit inter-
state commerce in the product of any
mine or quarry in which children under
1G years of age have been employed or
in the product of any MILL cannery,
workshop, factory or manufacturing es-
Establishment in which children under IA
have been employed, or in which children
between IA and 16 have been employed
more than eight hours day, more than
six days a week, before s o'clock in the
morning or later than 7 o'clock In the
evening. 1t would take effect one year
after enactment.
During the closing hours of debate to-
day. Senator Tillman denounced sourn-
ern cotton mill owners opposing the bill
and said that while he believed it uncon-
stitutional he was tempted to support 1t
because of the selfishness Of the interests
fighting it, He also declared Congress
was too much influenced by the attitude
of labor in this
IT have been shocked" said the South
Carolina senator, ito see men in South
Carolina-rich, intelligent, we'll educated
men-who were willing to sell their divi-
dends at the expense of little children.
The veil of sophistry In their letters
could not hide their heartlessness. Their
plea, stripped of verbiage, is let the
children toll that we may live In luxury
and yet we wonder at the spread of So
cialism and the increasing hostility OF
labor towards capital"