New-York tribune., 1917-06-02
Declares 1t Would Be
Justified Only in
Extremity
Must Keep Safeguards
Nation Not Yet Reduced to
Such Measures, Says
Labor Head
I'm, r-,n r-ll,.Irn Rurranl

Washington. June l. Samuel Com
pers. president Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. to-day denounced in
most vigorous terms q proposal ad-
vanced By W. ?. iamrick, general su-
perintendent Of the Pacific Mills, at
Columbia. S. C., 10 Chairman Lever OF
the House Committee on Agriculture,
suggesting the suspension of the child
labor law during the war period. Dis
cussing this proposal Mr. Gompers
said:
AS you say in your letter. there is
on foot a movement 10 render child
labor and compulsory education in
operative, or 20 secure the suspension
OF provisions restricting hours of work.
, This movement seems TO be part of
larger movement 20 nullify or 70 de-
stroy all humanitarian safeguards that
protect the health and welfare of those
who work.
Those directing this movement have
taken advantage of the first period OF
transition, during which the people are
appalled, by their new problems and
are fearful of what the immediate
future may contain for them. There
is an effort being made to confuse
change and activity that will direct in
telligent plans for self-defence.
Redirection of Activity
The declaration Of war means that
the activities and resources OF this
country shall be diverted to an en-
tirely different purpose from what OBJ
tains under conditions Of peace. Tran
sition 70 a war basis means a redlrec-
tion of activity, not a change of funda-
mental principles and policies. Under
all conditions the purpose Of our gov
ernment is to conserve and further the
interests Of humanity.
"Those standards which safeguard
the health and wellbeing of the people
cannot justifably be suspended or re
moved unless the nation is reduced 10
| the direst extremity. We are not rae
ing such emergencies. nor have we eN-
/ hausted our resources TO such de-
gree that we would be justified in set
/ ting aside safeguards that insure the
| physical and mental wellbeing OF tut
I ure citizens.
an protecting the childhood Of the
nation we are protecting the nation
/ itself. This protection ~ just as nee
essary as the military defence OF the
nation. There can be no JustlhcatloH
| for rendering child labor laws inoper-
alive during this war, except when II
/ shall have been demonstrated that all
i other methods have failed and an eH-
treme emergency shall have been pro
yidcd 10 that body charged with the de-
/ fence of the nation-the Council o.
| National Defence.
Call on Children Last
"You say in your letter that TO sus-
pend the child labor law would be or
/ advantage 20 manufacturers IN helping
/ them 10 overcome the shortage OF labor.
/ Until the manufacturers shall have hrst
/ tried to readjust their Industries 20
( war basis, shall have made all mechan-
/ ical substitutes for human labor wher-
/ ever that is possible and shall have
/ done everything within their power 10
meet the needs of the nation, and then
/ demonstrate the inadequacy of the
rumber Of workers 10 be secured and
the indispen sable character OF the PROD
uct under consideration, they VIII nave
no good reason for demanding that the
/ children shall be deprived Of their right
TO opportunity for physical and mentai
/ growth in order that the industrial
/ needs Of the country may be served.
"The men and women OF the country
must first try to defend the nation and
do its work before they call upon the
children to give like services"