Evening journal., 1918-03-18
MONDAY. MARCH 1e. 191e.
CONSUMERS LEAGUE AND MS wORK.


HAT was ahiehly-construcve and beneficial luncheon
and meeting that was held by the Consumers League
OF Delaware the Rose Room OF the Hotel DUPONT on
Saturday afternoon u the unanimous sentiment OF
those present that hystera caused by the war should not
be permitted TO break the various safeguards that
have been thrown about women and children through
the interest the Consumers League and kindred or
ganizations fact the feeling seemed TO be that those
safeguards should be strengthened, II anything in such
strenuous perious times these. In support Of
that feeling President Wilson and Secretary Of War
Baker were quoted freely the latter having made an
address at the eighteenth meeting Of the National
Consumers League, held in Baltimore last November
In that address, Mr.. Baker said, in part
"For supplement to this notwithstanding Of our
life we rely upon voluntary effort, upon leagues and as
sociations committees and groups. Their function
with us a pioneering function They take up the slack
Of our life; between complete autocracy
and an almost as complete neglect by government Of
many Of the interests life the voluntary associations
perform function They discover the undiscovered
country; they keep track Of the development Of things
and they agtate for remedies; they supply remedies.
Il do not want TO pursue the speculative suggestion
500 far because t not necessary TO Justify the exis
tence Of the Consumers League OF any kindred
esnzation. What actually do is TO so out into the
life Of America and find those thngs which cosns
MS more than afford 20 lose things which cannot
counted dollars and cents which just the
horizon Of the legislatures eye things which the egis
lative body has not yet apprchended, IL We
get deadly costs and dras them into light and place
them within the the legislature that after
awhile what has been discovered by such society
neglected social duty comes to be recognized
as an unacceptable social obligation
Il cannot stop to illustrate what the Consumers
League given The people Of the United States but
II you win in your mind such organizations
our League the Child Labor Committee OF the Civil
Service Reform League and mentally take of the statute
books OF the country the things which put
public life and Consciousness ,the recogntons which
been forced make through the education which
has from such societies. you viii realize, thinh,
that organizations these are as WERE the fore
Of government. They essential part Of
the American theory Of the American government; they
essential the formaized parts Of &c.
which appear in persons who hold public office or in
laws which appear written down in words upon the
statute books
'NoH, because Of realization OF these things the
call TO The Consumers League-as one OF these
semi-governmenta institutions, Of these silent
partners in the gOvernment-hal if 10 was busy 10
shah redouble its business; that if it ever had
call 70 point out to the American people the drain on
life from ndustriallsm and long hours Of labor and
insantary housing and the like that call is now raised
10 the nth power For this is the moment when the mag-
nation OF the American people most likely fail on
that subject. They most likely to demand goods in
increasing quantities and not stop to ask the
them.
"You have the opportunity as YOU scatter throughout
the various states Of this Union TO your voices
against relaxation Of the standards which you have so
largely achieved. You have an opportunity 10 be ex-
plicit in teaching and impressng the lesson that we
cannot afford when losing boys in France TO lose
children 10 the United States at The same time; that wt
cannot afford when this nation is having drain upon
the life OF its young manhood which not learning Ia,
crafts by which The industrial and agricultural life OF
the nation hereafter be sustaned-se cannot AFFORD
to have the life Of workers the United States
depressed. lf the Consumers League and its aniateC
and kindred organizations win stand on that and preacl
it constantly in and out Of season then trul,
while some OF the direct losses Of this irremeii
able there will nevertheless be some by-producs from
it which viii count for social gains among us. Afte
the vantage OF the has really end thCr,
win be solid foundation OF ground gained here hom,
upon which further social advance and reconstruction
proceed
The addresses by Mrs Florence Kelley general secre
tary OF the National Consumers League and owen c.
Lovejoy, secretary Of he National Child Labor Bureau
in accord with the utterances Of Mr. Baker rea
tive 70 the importance OF maintaining peacetime stand
ards
No one be of the fact that the Consumers