The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-27
TO KEEP WOMEN
and MINORS ON
POLISHING JOBS
Senate Rejects Bill to Pro.
hibit Imperilling Lives
of Non-Franchised.
STATES ALIENS MAY
HAVE TO GET LISTED
Consider Measures to Reg
lister Citizens of Other
Nations.
Especial to The Farmer.)


Hartford, March 27-By a vote of
1e to II the Senate today accepted the
report of thee ommittee on labor re-
jecting the bill which would prohibit
the employment Of women and minors
under 1s years of age at the occupa-
tions Of -buffing and polishing. The
unfavorable report of the committee
when taken up precipitated a very
lively debate led by Senators Freder-
ick L. Neebe and John E. Doughan.
who favored the bill.
Senator Neebe said both these oc-
cupations were Of such nature that
they were recognized as dangerous
even for grown workers and they
were placed in the class Of occupa-
tions which produce diseases especi-
ally tuberculosis and other diseases
Of the lungs. He said theb i'll had the
endorsement of the Connecticut Fed
Grafton Of Labor and that four years
ago the same bill was before the Cen
eral Assembly but was defeated by a
combination Of the manufacturers
and the lobbyists who co-operated to
bring about the defeat of the measure.
LII
the bill, called attention to the fact
that buffing and polishing are now
recognized as hazardous occupations
and the law forbids that minors under
16 years Of age be employed at these
trades. Sen. John H. Barnes, Senate
chairman of the committee on Wom-
an Suffrage, speaking for the bill, said
that one argument used in denying
equal suffrage to women was that the
men made laws to protect them. He
said the legislators might we'll lay
themselves open to the charge that
they had failed to legislate for the
protection of women If they did not
support the measure.
Senator William J. Laf kin moved
for the acceptance Of the report OF
the committee and the rejection Of the
bill. He said many manufacturers
in Waterbury whom employed wom-
en- on light buffing work which was
not dangerous would be obliged to
get other help if the bill was pass
ed. He said it would mean that this
work must be sent to other manu-
facturers outside of the state.
Senator Doughan thought the
manufacturers of Waterbury were not
enL1LloQ TO Sp0C1dl COuSlOoTdllOn LII
regard to the act. He said that with
the exception Of Bridgeport, the
manufacturers were not playing theil
fair share Of the taxes in the towns
and cities of the state. In Bridgeport
he said he believed the fa1rest adjust
ment Of the taxation had been ar
ranged.
Senator H. p. Kopplemann and
Patrick o'Sullivan, the latter the
Democratic leader spoke for the bill.
On the roll call vote those for &C
cepting the committees report and re-
jecting the bill were: Senators, Klett
New Britain; Spencer, Suffield; Leon
ard, New Haven; Rolf, Guilford; Tut
tie, Naugatuck; Larkin, Waterbury
May, New London; Bartlett, Bridge
port; Bissell, Ridgefield; Williamson,
Darien; Sessions, Plainfield; Brooks
Torrington; Stoeckel, Norfolk; Body
Woodbury.; Lyman, Middlefield; and
ugg, East Hampton.
Those against the rejection of the
bill were: Senators Hemenway and
Kopplemann, Hartford; Hunt, Glas-
tonbury; Whitney Grady and Dough-
an, New Haven; Neebe, Meriden;
Hurley, Waterbury; O'Sullivan, Der
by; Barnes, Norwich; O'Connell and
Caldwell, Bridgeport.