New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-04
From Senator Wadsuorth
4 Recital of His Votes for Social
and Child Labor Laps

and Chtld Labor LuDS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In the leading editorial Of The
Tribune Of July 80 you use the following
language concerning me:
Ellis course with respect to social
legislation, even the child labor law.
has been profoundly unsatisfactory to
those who would better human life"
The clear inference to be drawn from
this sentence is that I have been gen
|crally opposed to social and child labor
legislation. | know that a persistent
and deliberate attempt is being made to
spread such belief, but l think a re-
cltal OF some instances in my record
will prove that it is unfounded. l in
vite your attention first to the record
of the Assembly during the time was
Speaker. We passed long list of child
labor bills during the sessions of 1906
'07-'0S-'09 and 10. They marked most
substantial advance in legislation of
this character and put New York we'll
to the front in the protection Of women
and children in industry. We reported
the workmen's compensation and en-
ployers' liability bills from the Com
mittee on Rules, of which / was chair
man, and enacted them into law. We
strengthened the factory and mining
laws relating to sanitary conditions, the
reduction of tho fire risk, safety de-
vices and hazardous employments We
passed the famous eight-hour law. All
these steps toward the bctterment of
human life had my active support as
Speaker
In the Senate at Washington I voted
for the Lodge amendment to the rev.
enue bill Of 1917, imposing the maxi
mum duty on imports from other coun-
tries of goods manufactured by child
labor. supported with my vote the
appropriation to make possible the in
vestigation of child labor in the United
States. The Federal child labor law,
now upon the statute books, was passed
IN December, 1918, shortly after the
converting of the session. 1t was de-
signed to take the place of the law of
1916, which had been declared uncon-
stitutional by the Supreme Court r
sailed for France November 8, 1918, in
tent upon studying conditions in the
army, in order to better prepare NV
self for the heavy task which | knew
was coming in connection with army
reorganization legislation. The child
labor amendment was prepared and in
troduced month after my departure
and became law before my return in
January. Had | been present in the
Senate when it was before that BODY I
would have voted for it. 1t is GOOD
law and should remain upon the stat
ute books. AS a member of the Repub-
llcan steering committee and chairman
of its subcommittee I secured place
on the program in the crowded closing
hours of this last session for the wom-
ems bureau bill, which became law.
| introduced in and passed through the
Senate bill extending the retirement
wlth-pay privilege to women of the |
Army Nurse Corps who shall have COM
pleted twenty years faithful service.
The legislation enacted this year
strengthening the position of chaplains |
in the army was framed by me; all the
religious denominations interested in
the welfare Of the troops earnestly de-
sired this measure, Three years ago |
introduced the civil service retirement
bill, which was used in large measure
as the basis for the civil service re-
tirement law just enacted From the
Committee on Agriculture secured the
favorable report of a bill introduced by
me setting up special commission to
study rural and urban home settlement
IN this and other countries and to re-
port its recommendations to the Con-
gress and to the states.
make this recital in no spirit of
valnglory, but merely to show you that
your conception of my attitude on these
matters is entirely incorrect. Having
told you the facts, I am confident YOU
Will not again misrepresent me.
j. w. WADSWORTH JR.
Geneseo, N. Y, July 81, 1920.