The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-22
CONSERVATION Of
YOUTH FOR FUTURE
Congressman Heating sponsor for New
War Measure Designed ia Pro-
text the Children.
RESTRICTION OF LABOR.
Prohibits Children from Working In
Mines and Quarries, and IN Dc4tgn.
ed 10 Restore Status Prior no Do
Cision of Supreme Court.

Congressman Edward Heating. 4# -
Colorado stands sponsor for ne
war measure which would direct
prohibit the labor OF children nnde4u
thu age OF fourteen years al any timea
and OF children between the ages OF
fourteen and sixteen for more than
eight hours day or at night in fac
torres and of children under sixteen
years of age in mines and auarrres.
These are the standards OF the
federal child labor law recently dee
clared unconstitutional by the
supreme court, The new bill seeks to
restore and maintain these standards
during the war by direct prohibition
under the war power of congress, as
there is no question Of the authority
OF congress TO meet the present
emergency in this way
1t IL believed by child welfare work.
ers that prompt action by the federal
government is needed. since IL ~
known that many children went back
To work Immediately upon the de-
cision OF the court, and that the lure
Of high wages on the one hand and
the high cost of living on the other.
are inducing many others to keep out
Of school in the states which have not
enacted these standards.
l. Parkinson of the legislative draft-
ing research fund of Columbia univer-
sity, and has been approved by joint
committee of the national child labor
committee and the American Fedora
ton of Labor which are actively sup
porting it,
Edward y. Chopper acting seere-
.tary of the national child labor CONF
mittee, says This proposed exercise
30
only TO protect the children from ex-
cessive hours OF labor and premature
employment but also to conserve
national health and Vigor Children
who lose their chance for education
and normal growth today viii make
poor citizens tomorrow. THOSE VINO
arc now children will have to bear
the burdens arising from the war, So
every opportunity must be given them
TO become strong and intelligent
The passage of the bill as war
measure viii give the national child
labor committee and the American
Federation OF Labor and others in
terested in permanent child labor
legislation time to study the best
methods of meeting the objections OF
the supreme court to the old law ana
to frame a bill for times OF peace CALI
culated to pass the test of constsu-q
tionality.
"Iu the mean time the exploitation
Of children will be prevented, When
the old law was declared unconstfu-s
tionai It was insisted by those who
were opposed to such federal legisfa-
ton that the states would each take
care of their own problems satisfac-
torily The opportunity soon came
the legislature OF Georgia. from whfch
state strong disspproval of the old
law had come. convened few weeks
after the decision OF the United States
supreme court was handed down
child labor bin embodying the stand
ards of the federal law was introduces
in the lower house but was roundiy
denounced on all sides and promptly
rejected by a vote Of nine to one In
the committee to which IL had heen
referred This shows only too clearly
that the remedy lies In federal legisla-
ton rather than in an appeal 10 tnc
states.
The new bill has been presented 20
President Wilson and he is reported
TO have given IL has unqualified ap-
proyai.