The Washington times., 1921-01-22
.CH|LOLABORJ
BILL OPPOSED
Pomerene and King Lead Fight
Against Measure in the
Senate.

Sharp opposition to the Curtis
child labor bill broke out in the Sen
ate District Committee TODAY.
Senators Pomersne of Ohio and
King Of Utah announced they would
never support the bill as it is
framed at present. and Senator Dill
lingham. ranking Senator of the Dis
trict Committee. revealed himself as
out of sympathy with many of its
provisions.
POMERENE OPENS FIRE.
When Senator Wesley Jones of
Washington, on behalf OF the sub
committee which reported the bCl.
placed the measure before the District
Committee. Senator Pomerene imme-
diately opened fire by saying that he
would never consent to the provisions
which prohibit boys and young men
under twenty-one years of age from
doing messenger service after 10
o'clock at night.
Senator Pomerene also announced
that he was strongly opposed to the
section creating an administrative
body which is to determine what
trades are dangerous and injurious
for child labor. He declared that IL
was a legislative matter that ought
10 De handled by Congress.
"sTATE DOES 1T ALL"
Senator King called attention to
the lobbyists and propagandists"
who are pressing the measure and
wanted to know IL 1t had any support
in the District OF Columbia. He also
deplored the 'Socialistic tendency of
the times. in which the state is as
suming authority over what we shall
wear. what we shall eat, where we
shall go, and what we shall do. I'm
der this plan we are all mollycoddles.
We haven't any sense. The state will
do IL all for u.s."
"Outside of that we are all right"
laughed Senator Sheppard. OF Texas.
IL am in favor of a revival of the
spirit of Americanism," continued
Senator King. 1T seems to me we
have about reached the limit Of any
legitimate demands that q self-re-
specting and independent people can
make upon the state"
Senator Dillingham; stated that in
certain respects this bill "went be-
yond all reason" and that the pro-
visions prohibiting night work for
boys under twenty-one years OF age
should have the age limit reduced to
eighteen years.
JONES IS DISAPPOINTED.
The burden of the defense of the
bill fell upon Senator Jones Of Wash
ington, who sponsored 1T. Mr.. Jones
did not anticipate the opposition that
was shown and was somewhat disap-
pointed when 1T was found impossible
to report the bill favorably today.
The committee will meet again next
Monday to consider tho measure
further.
A number of minor points were dis
cussed at length, including the pro-
posal for a school census, the propcs-
ed exemption of Christian Scientists
from the sections requiring physical
examination Of boys who apply for
permits to work. etc.
The report of Senator Jones shows
that the following changes have
been made from the original bill:
The minimum age for children to
go to work is raised from fourteen
to fifteen years.
No child Is permitted to go to work
unless it is found to be of normal de-
velopment for a child Of it's age and
physically fit for the work it pro-
poses to do.
No poverty permits are to be issued.
Work permits under certain con-
ditions may be issued to children
between fifteen and sixteen years of
age and vacation permits may be is
sued to children between IA and Is
years of age, permitting employment
curing the regular summer vacation
period of the public schools.