Denver labor bulletin., 1917-09-01

Striking proof that the United
| States does not intend to lower its
labor standards because of the war is
given by the fact that on September l
| the most advanced and far reaching
piece of legislation the country has
yet seen for the protection of children
goes into effect. This is the federal
child labor law, which prohibits the
shipping or delivery for shipment in
interstate or foreign commerce of
products of mines and quarries IN
which children under 16 are employed,
or of manufactured products from es-
tablishments where children under Ia
are employed, or where those between
| ID and 16 are worked more than eight
hours per day or more than six days
| week, or before 6 a. m. or after.
p. m. Strong pressure was brought
| to bear on President Wilson and con-
gress to have the law suspended until
after the war, but the warnings of our
European allies and considerations of
sound public policy had greater weight
and it was decided to put the law into
effect at the time designated when it
was passed.
1t will be noted that the products
banned fall into three different classes.
For work in quarries and mines the
minimum age limit is placed at 16.
For work in factories the age limit is
lower, being placed at IA. The third
class of commodities under the ban
consists of products of establishments
which employ children between the
ages of IA and 16 and work them more
than eight hours a day, or more than
six days a week, or after z p. M or
before 6 a m. Of course, the use of
child labor in any of these ways can
still go on in states which have not
forbidden it if the goods produced are
commerce. This was the one place
where congress could strike at the
child labor evil. The constitution ex-
pressly gives congress the right to
regulate interstate commerce, SO there
is little likelihood of a successful at
tack on the constitutionality of the
law. How effective the measure will
be in ending child labor can only be
guessed at present, but those who have
been studying the matter feel that
very large proportion of the exploita-
ton of child life falls within the class
es banned by the act.
Enforcement of the law is placed
in the hands of the secretary of labor.
He and those authorized by him are
given power to enter and inspect any
establishments where goods are pro-
duced or held for interstate commerce.
| On securing evidence of violation of
the act the secretary of labor will re-
port to the federal district attorney Of
the district where the offense was COM
mitted. But the law expressly con-
templates others than the department
of labor officials taking an interest in
its enforcement. District attorneys
are instructed to start proceedings on
complaint of any state factory or min
ing and quarry inspector, commission
er Of labor, state medical inspector,
school attendance officer. or any other
person who secures satisfactory evil
dence. This at once places much
larger force on guard to protect the
children. To make clear the appli-
cation of the act board is created
with power to make rules and regula-
tions. This board is composed of the
attorney general, the secretary Of
commerce and the secretary of labor.
| For violation of the law the penalty
is a fine of not more than 5000. A
second offense is punishable by fine
of not more than 81 900 nor less than
$500, or imprisonment for not more
than three months, or by both fine and