South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-28
Attack on Child
Labor ActShown
TobeUntounded

sity and partisan unfsirness Of re-
publican attacks upon the child
labor law, participated in by Can
didate Hughes as we'll as by his cam
Ipaign managers. is demonstrated in
Ia signed statement OF Albert r. Cum
Minis, republican United States SEN
atOr from Iowa. made public today.
Sen. Cummins has been leader
among progressive republicans.
Characterizing the alleged dis
cOvery by Chairman Wilcox of the
republican national com mittee Of a
Joker" in the child labor law as
without any foundation whatso-
ever" and stigmatizing the persons
who have been giving il publicity
as either insincere or incompetent"
Sen. Cummins riddles the claims
OF Mr.. Hughes He declares the
child labor law as enacted by con-
gress and signed by Pres't Wilson
is certain 10 "effectuate the humane
purposes toward which the friends
Of child labor legislation have for
long time been striving
Chairman Wilcox astounded the
friends of child labor reform by
characterizing the democratic meas
ure as "a fraud and a sham"
Candidate Hughes not only coun-
tenanced this deliberate misrepresen-
tation by his campaign manager,
but in a speech at Milwaukee. sought
himself 10 belittle and discredit the
law.
'Insinccre or Incompetent"
Sen. Cummins views are set
forth in a letter TO owen r. Love-
JOY. general secretary OF the nation
al child labor committee, written
Sept %.
The senator's letter follows:
Il have just read your letter of
the goth instant. suggesting that
certain critics of the recently enact
ed child labor law claim 10 have
discovered a joker or tokers in the
act which reflect upon either the in
tegrity or intelligence of those who
are responsible for its passage.
These criticisms are without any
foundation Whatsoever and the per-
sons who are giving them publicity
are either insincere or incompe-
tent.
The child labor law received in
the senate committee and on the
floor of the senate the most ex-
haustive consideration, and those of
US who were for it employed the
utmost care to exclude every posi-
BILE objection to it's validity consis-
tent with its effectiveness. All OF us
understood that there was in the
bill a serious constitutional question.
which could not be avoided and
which could be answered conclu-
sively only by the supreme court OF
the United States. but in other
respects. the act is, l believe. with
out a flaw
Says Charges Will React.
IF republicans are making any
such charge against the law in or
der 10 discredit the administration,
the effort is disrepUtable and must
react upon those who are foolish
enough TO give currency to the
charge. If democrats are endeavor-
ing to impeach the good faith of
the epublicans who helped 10 COM
pose and pass the bill. they are
guilty of "A fragrant offense against
public morals.
Assuming that the supreme court
decides, if the question ever reaches
that tribunal. that congress can reg
uIate interstate commerce in this
way the act will be found so effec-
tive that it will end for all time the
employment of children under con-
ditions forbidden in the statute.
The claim, if it is made. that the
| prohibition of the statute can be
| evaded by retaining the output of
mine. quarry, mill. cannery, work
shop. factory. or manufacturing es-
| ia blishment for 80 days after chill
dren have been employed. and that
then the output may be shipped
| from the state Of production to some
other state, is too absurd for con-
/ sideration.
Thirty Day Story Ridiculous.
with rare exceptions these in
! dustrial establishments are contin-
nous in their operation, and the no
| ton that they can be so organized
as TO employ children in the pro-
| hibited work one month and then
dismiss them and run a month
without children. after which the
output Of the previous month will
/ be shipped, and then re-employ
children for another month and so
on ad infinitum, is supremacy ludi-
crous.
1T was absolutely necessary 10
/ fix a time. otherwise a child once I'M
properly employed in any estab-
! lishment would end forever the
right of the establishment TO ship
its output beyond the state Even
| the seasonal establishments, such
| as canne1ies. can not hold their out
put 50 days after the season closes.
! 1 venture the prediction that no
| industrial concern Will ever attempt
\ 10 evade the law in this respect.
II understand from YOUR letter
that il has also been claimed that
! the producer in any state could
/ sell either absolutely or nominally
10 a dealer in the state and that
] after so days the dealer could ship
the product in interstate commerce.
| This is not true fer the dealer IN
/ the state of production must have
a certificate from the producer or
! manufacturer that children have not