The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-25
Measure Would Legalize as
a War Emergency the
Working of Children Over
IL Years of Age, Upon
Their Home Farms-Dif-
ference of Opinion AS To
Dangers of Abuse of the
Law.
Especial to The Farmer.)

| future OIL the youth OF COuueCIlCut
that Rear Admiral Cowles' bill by
| which children above IL may be ia
| ken out of school and put to work
on farms, finally passed the house, OF
representatives yesterday.
Transmitted to the Senate under a
suspension Of the rules, it is expected
! to meet with considerable opposition
there. The measure is classed as a
| war emergency measure, although
there were many members who be-
lieved that the benefits to be derived
from the bill were small in compari-
son to the perils of it's abuse.
| Admiral CoWles, representative
from Pennington, is a jealous advo-
vate of education and If he believed
that the bill were 40 lead to the jeop-
ardizing of the future of Connecticut
boys and girls education, he would
not lend his name to it. He is house
chairman of the committee on educa-
ton. But there are others who do
not share his optimism as to the work.
ing of the measure. as was evidenced
in the debate over it. It was not a
party vote.
The bill as amended, limits the work
of such children upon their home
farms.
The bill as originally presented fol-
lows:
Section 1. Upon application of the
parent or guardian of any child over
twelve years of age, the secretary of
the state board of education or the
attendance or supervising agents of
said board may issue to said parent or
guardian certificate authorizing such
child to leave school to be employed
in agriculture for period to be spe-
Gifted by such certificate. The state
board of education shall make rules
and regulations governing the 'issu-
ance Of such certificate which shall
\be upon a form prescribed and fur
nished by said board. This act shall
not be effective after the rising Of the
general assembly at its January ses-
sion, 1919.
Section 2. This act shall take eff
feet from its passage.
Mr.. Cowles said he did not know
what the law was when he was boy,
but he knew that he worked on the
farm. His father had him picked
cut for an agriculturalist, and his
mother for the church. He did not
make either.
Mr. Hall Of New Milford said the
bin should limit the children to work
on the home farm. He would pre-
fer to see child go into a modern
shop than to work on some of the
farms which he knew.
Il Mr. Curry of Lebanon offered an
said the farmers needed the help of
T. ~ ~
augment their food supply.
Mr.. Bowers Of Manchester said a
member told him he was opposed to
the bill. It was his idea that the To-
cal school committees could meet the
situation by holding three hour single
sessions This would prevent break
ing up the school routine.
Mr.. Curry said Secretary c. D. Hirfe
approved the bill, as did the gov
ernor.s
The amendment was passed.
Mr.. Sherwood of Westport said the
farmer could get all the work he
ought to do out Of 12-year-old boy
out of school hours. 1T would be
crime to force small boy to work
under the hot sun in the f1elds,' he
said. He knew because he had been
there
Mr.. Curry made a final appeal. He
said the work the boys would be
called upon to do was of the lightest
character. The modern farm was
equipped with machinery and the SER
vice of the boys for few days in
the planting season would advance
the crops materially. =
Z Mr.. Fish of Newington thought in
the present emergency the legislation
could do no harm. Other support
came from Mr.. Kingsbury of Coven-
try and Mr.. Myers of East Windsor.
. Mr.. Peasley contributed support to
fellow members of the judiciary com
mittee, whom he designated as the
gentleman from Sherwood"
Mr.. Brown Of Milford and men,
beE, Of the committee on food supply
had told him the bill was not neces-
sary. He asked the members not to
be led away by the cry of patriotism.
Mr.. Watt of Sharon said the far
mer's boy should not be penalized. To
take a boy out Of school few days
broke him up and retarded his pro-
gress. Af
Mr.. Corbett of Hartford approved
the spirit Of Mr.. Watt. To economic
on education, he declared was false
retrenchment.
Mr.. Corbett closed an effective argu-'
ment against the bill by announcing
that he would vote against it,
Mr.. Goddard of Wallingford had
views Numerically opposite to those
of Mr.. Corbett.
Mr.. Dillon Of Huntington said there
punish their own sons. The speakers
on both sides had taken extreme views
of the emergency.
Mr. Fenton of Windham thought the
bill was along the lines which the
federal government had urged. If it
was found that the legislation work.
ed hardship it could be repealed.
General Averill of Washington
said it would be mistake to consid-
er the bill wholly in the interest Of the
farmers. The whole state would ben
eft.
Mr.. Curry said Maryland had just
passed similar legislation
Admiral Cowles closed the debate
on behalf Of the bill. -
A rising vote showed the bill passed
The opposition to-
tailed SO, and included for members
Of the judiciary committee. The yeas
were 124.
The bill as passed was transmitted
20 the senate under suspension of the
rules s