Evening journal., 1918-12-28
CHILD LABOR, THE SENATE AND THE FUTURE.

II UNDREDs OF thousands OF children. including many
II in Delaware viii be affected by the Pomereno child
labor amendment to the revenue BILL II becomes law,
says the National Child Labor Committee in a statement
In which the recent vote OF the Senate compared
| with its vote two years ago the based on
the interstate power OF Congress declared
| unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last June.
Not only the vote almost the same numerically
IN the two instances-52 to i2 In 1916 and 30 2 on
the taxing measure recently-but the alignment OF
the Senators who voted both these measures showed
little variation Seven OF the twelve who voted mo"
the Pomerene amendment voted mo- on the commerce
BILL Twenty OF those who voted "yes" recently
voted "yes" In 1916 Two Senators, Beckham OF Ken
tucky and Underwood OF Alabama changed their votes
from yes" TO mo-" while two other Senator's Penrose
Of Pennsylvania and Fletcher OF Florida changed
mo- to yes" All but Of the twelve negative voters
recently were Southern Democrats. Nine Southern
Democrats voted for the amendment
These comparisons according 10 the committee. In
dcatc that the Issue the second clearly
between taking Federal action against child labor and
leaving tho matter entirely to the States For general
the Senators who favored the OF the Federal
TO attack tho child labor evil favored the
OF the taxing power those who opposed the one
opposed the other. II may be assumed, the committee
believes. that the Of the latter group were merely
expressing their conception Of States rights but without
reference TO these particular II Is noteworthy that
many OF the individuals and organizations that raise the
question OF States rights when child labor legislation Is
proposed In Congress also opposing such leg
slatlon In the State capitals
The committed according to It's statement agrees with
Senator Lodge that the strength OF the Federal
child labor legislation Is due largely the failure OF the
States TO enact adequate protective laws In behalf Of
the nations children and to enforce their as TO
make them adequately effective Through nobody's fault
but their own. twenlyslx States have no provision on
their statute books prohibiting the labor OF children
under 80 In mines and quarres. though each OF fifteen
OF these States has mine and quarry products worth
s2500O00 or more annually Tweny-one States have no
eghthour-aday limit for work OF children under i6 in
for Juvenile factory workers. three do not prohibit
the labor Of children under "a in factories.
The committee emphasizes the point that the age
hour and night work restrictions Of the Pomerene amend
men would protect not only the thousands OF children
already at work in the industries under the condI-
tons to which the measure applies but would also serve
to check the daily monthly and yearly accessons to the
horde OF children prematurey leaving school and enter
Ing Industry. In the OF year the number Of
children who would thus the benefit OF Federal
protection would be The rapdlty Of the aug
by the fact that In indianapolis from June 1917 to May
1915 Inclusive 3ii7 working certificates or an average
OF 2S3 month. issued TO children between IA and
i6 years OF age who had before received certificates
This Is the record In city one year. and these
permits covered only few occupations whereas In all
occupations In 1910 according the Federal census only
2422 children 10 10 &C years OF age were empoyed In
indianapolis.