The Delta independent., 1917-03-16
RockwelI's Letter.

RockWelFS Letter.
AS the session draws to a close there
is a growing feeling that we must
hurry All week there were calls for
night sessions but the hearings on the
proposed educational code, the Rail
roads committee and the amendments
to the initiative and referendum have
made this impossible. l think that the
next two weeks will call for night ses-
sions, however, and work will be push
ed to the limit This, of course. is due
the resolution passed by both houses
to adjourn March oath.
The first and one of the most i'm
portant bills we have taken up this
session was a minimum wage bill. 1t
creates commission of three, known
as the Minimum Wage Commission. ap-
pointed by the Governor and consisting
of one member representing the en-
ployees, one representing the employer
and one representing the general pub
lie. Their duties will be to inquire into
Tie NdStS vi Woiitn VI Gil
under IA years of age where there is a
complaint that such wages are less
than the actual cost of living. Excep-
tions are to be made in the cases of
persons who are physically deficient.
This commission is further empowered
to look into the conditions and hours of
labor of these two classes and il they
find that they are detrimental to their
health and safety they may compel
suitable changes. They may go so far
as to forbid children to work where
coalitions are detrimental to their
health. There was no opposition to
this bill and it passed the house unan-
imously.
Another day was spent in discussing
bill which sought to extend the pres
ent child labor law to include children
working in the beet fields. This bill
originated in Denver and was backed
by most of the philanthropic organiza-
tions of the East. The communities
affected were very much opposed to
the bill and every representative of these
districts except one, who was not pres
ent, spoke against the bill. 1t happen
ed that l recently took 400 mile auto
mobile trip through some of these beet
growing sections. We went through
Greeley, Fort Morgan, Brush and the
little towns between, and knowing this
was coming UP took particular pains
to iquire of all those ! met what they
thought of the proposed bill. ! talked
with the merchants. bankers, teachers,
landowners and those working in the
beet fields. Everyone with whom /
talked said they believed the work
was not harming these children pbysi-
cally, many going SO far as to say that
they believed that the children who
worked in these fields during the three
to five months necessary were pyhysi-
cally stronger and healthier than the
children who remained in the towns
There was only one who thought the
six weeks or two months loss
| ferred seriously with their education
It seems that the schools in some OF
these towns have their sessions sc
that 1t may be possible for these child
rem to have the entire school year.
voted against the bill for the following
reasons: First. We voted to create 6
minimum wage commission whose
duty it will be to look into these
matters and IL they find it necessar,
they have the power. as ! understand
it, to regulate or stop this work in thu
beet fields. Second: Our school law,
now compel children to go to schoo
between the ages OF 6 and IA years
and IL this law is not enforced 1t i
not the fault Of the lawmaker but o
law-enforcer. Third: 1t seems incon
; sistent to legislate that children shal
not work in beet fields but may worl
just as hard in the onion and straw
berry fields. or many other kinds O
farm labor. Fourth: The represents
tives Of these counties said thei
people were unanimously opposed t
this bill. could not help but app1
this to our own county. Suppose som
OF their philanthropic friends shoul
have a city representative introduce
bill making it unlawful for a woma
er minor to work in the fruit Woul