New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-01
Foes of Measure in Senate
Committee Try to Side
track Ii.
CHANGES ARE MADE
CLOSE LOOPHOLES
Conviction To Be Easier than
Under Proposed Law as
Passed by House.

Washington. March 3l.-An attempt
to pigeonhole the child labor bill ef-
fectively for this session was made in
the Senate interstate Commerce Com
mittee to-day. but failed by vote OF
5 70 !. The motion. made by Senator
Smith. OF South Carolina. who is
strongly opposed TO the bill, was 70
refer it to the Judiciary Committee, of
which Senator Overman. OF North Caro-
lima. one Of the stanchest opponents
Of the measure. is chairman.
Those voting for Mr.. Smiths motion,
which would TO all inteuts and purposes
kin the bill. were Senators Smith,
Salisbury. Of Delaware; Brandegee, Of
Connecticut; Lippitt, OF Rhode Island,
and Gore, OF Oklahoma.
Those voting against the pigeonhol-
ing we're Cummins. Of Iowa; Clapp, Of
Minnesota; Robinson. Of Arkansas;
Thompson. OF Kansas; Underwood, OF
Alabama; Pomerene, Of Ohio, and Poin-
dexter, OF Washington.
Having virtually rewritten the bill!
as il passed the House. the Senate COM
mittee would have agreed on a favor
abe report to-day, except that there
are still under discussion several minor
change.
In rewriting the bill. changes, now
made public for the first time have
. f..tsfs n ma
ing the measure for the protection OF
child workers meet the constitutional
test. but also with view 20 making the
protection Of child labor more effective.
As now written, for instance. the bill
would bar from interstate commerce
any product produced in whole or IN
part by the labor OF children" as pro-
vided IN the measure passed by the
House. also any product sent from
factory or mine in which within thirty
DAYS prior 20 the time OF the removal
Of such product therefrom children
had been employed.
Thus. IN obtaining q conviction under
the bill. as rewritten By the Senate
Committee. II would not be necessary
TO prove that the particular product on
which the suit should be brought was
made in whole or IN part by child
labor" All that would nave 20 be
proved was that within thirty days
prior to the shipment OF that article
children under the age specified by the
law had been employed.
The House bill attempted 20 cover
this point by providing that proof Of
the employment within sixty days of
the shipment Of children under the
sges mentioned shall be prima facie
evidence that such product has been
produced in whole or in part by the
labor OF such a child" But on this
provision there was much doubt be-
cause Of the fear that il might make
the whole bill unconstitutional.
In the bill as rewritten the idea eX-
pressed is 10 bar from interstate COM
merce the products of factories, mines,
etc. in which children under the speci-
fed ages are employed, as against the
House bills general idea of barring
products of child labor from interstate
commerce.
Still pending when the committee
adjourned were several amendments by
Senator Cummins. one Of which would
limit the number Of prosecutions which
ooulG be brought against one concern 20
:he number of days on which shipments
contrary TO law were made, which
would be thirty.
Ar amendment which probably will
be adopted will make il clear that Off
GERS of an offending corporation can be
imprisoned. it having been pointed out
that fines would not disturb big cor.
porstions operating string OF mills