The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-07-26
UNION LABEL
WILL ABOLISH
CHILD LABOR

fangs out of that Hunnish Supreme
Court Child labor decision that should
be adopted. 1t would be righteous
course for organized labor to obtain
the names of all industrial concerns
which are violating the child labor
law and conduct vigorous campaign
against their products.
The supreme court is still living in
the revolutionary days when i'm
probed machinery and get-rich-quick
methods were unknown.
That child labor decision was I'M
just, inhuman and undemocratic -
Hunnish! No such construction of
the constitution could be made by
judges imbued with the spirit of de-
mocracy and having decent regard
for humanity and the welfare Of
mankind.
That decision justifies the opinion
of the Bolsheviki of "autocratic, plut-
ocratic America"
While we are fighting for the de-
structiOn of autocracy and plutocracy
comes the vounted highest judicial
tribunal in the world" and gives aid
to the enemy by creating in the
minds of all people the thought
that we are insincere-that we do not
want freedom, for all, forever"
No German propaganda could do
more to create the impression that
the United States is waging war in
bad faith.
It's simply intolerable!
Read Mrs. Shutters suggestion of
a way to combat the stunning of the
bodies and minds of children to swell
the pOcketbooks of inhuman, prof.
teering hogs:
Common sense and humanity de-
mands that child labor shall be abol-
ished; that during their growing
years our boys and girls may build
up sound bodies in which to develop
sound minds. They must be kept
out of the factory and the mine and
in the school and the sunshine. In
enacting the Federal Child Labor
law, excluding from interstate COM
merce goods manufactured by child
rem under fourteen years of age,
Congress recognized the right of
childhood to health, strength and a
future; to life and the fitness to live.
That is what the UNION LABEL
stands for.
"By majority of five to four the
Supreme court has declared this law
unconstitutional and invalid, an I'M
warranted interference with the po-
lice powers of the state.
This decision shows once more
that the majority of the court are
out of touch with the times, with
life itself. Living in the last CEN
fury and concerned with an absolute
construction of the Federal Constitu-
ton as of more Importance than an
enlightened public opinion and the
future of the race.
"The modern conception is that the
law is the recorded expression of the
opinion of the majority of the peo-
pie, reached after earnest delibera-
ton, and that the constitution should
be interpreted in conformity with
this conception and with present day
conditions.
THAT'S what the UNION LIABLE
stands for.
1.-THE Federal Child Labor law was
not an ideal measure. It was an
attempt to reach an end in an in
direct way, to beat the devil around
the stump-not the most satisfactory
way but sometimes the only way.
Direct action is preferable, but not
always possible.
"But the UNION LABEL will at
tain the object.
The more progressive states have
enacted effective laws to safeguard
the health and to provide for the
education of their children, their fu-
ture citizens. Other states, in which
organized labor is weak or is tied I'D
with the dominant political party,
and in which the employing and
owning class select the state off.
cials and the members of the legisla-
ture and dictate legislation, the laws
regulating child labor are Inadequate
or are dead letter. In some states
the age limit is so low that the law
affords protection to babies rather
than children, in others no appropria-
ton is made for the enforcement of
the law and if some public spirited
citizen assumes that duty an un-
friendly court dismisses the case.
10 save the children of these back
ward states from exploitation by un-
scrupulous and heartless employers.
and to protect emDlovers in +ha r,o,o