The Owosso times., 1922-09-08
WILL ATTEMPT TO
END CHILD LABOR
SENATOR MCCORMICK OF ILL
NoIs TO OFFER AMENDMENT
TO CONSTITUTION.
BELIEVES THIS THE ONLY WAY
Proposed Change In the country's
Basic Law ls Drawn UP and Sup
ported by Many organizations--
i President Thinks States Should Act.
BY JAMES P. HoRNADAY

BY JAMES p. HORNADAY
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. attempt so to
amend the Constitution Of the United
States as to prevent child labor Is to
be made, 1t seems, regardless Of what
the states through their legislatures
may do on the subject. Senator Medill
Mccormick Of Illinois Is the author OF
the new proposal. He Is acting at the
Instance of the Permanent Conference
for the Abolition of Child LABOR.
After several recent sessions this
conference. which brought together
representatives of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor. women's clubs, church
organizations, the League Of Women
Voters and other organizations, drew
q constitutional amendment which was
presented to Mr.. Mccormick.
At conference between Senator
Mccormick and Samuel Gompers,
president and Frank Morrison, secre-
tary, of the American Federation OF
Labor. who represented the conference
committee, Senator Mccormick agreed
to press the proposed legislation.
"The child labor situation" said
Senator Mccormick, "can be met only
by constitutional amendment, and /
will offer the amendment"
Amendment to the Constitution is
proposed following two decisions Of
the Supreme court invalidating child
labor laws passed by congress. The
f1rst law declared void was one bar
ring products Of child labor from in
terstate commerce.. The second placed
20 prohibitory tax upon persons en-
Iploying child labor. The Supreme
court said both laws were unconsti-
|tutional and aa invasion Of the rights
rof the states. Advocates Of child Ia
bor then turned to an amendment to
the Constitution to make possible a
law that would stand the test In the
courts.
These Support Il.
Organizations indorslng the pro-
posed child labor amendment to the
Constitution were said by Senator Nc
Cormick and the conference commit
Zee to include the following:
General Federation of Women's
Clubs, National Congress of Mothers
and Parent Teachers Associations,
National Council Of Catholic Women,
National Women's Trade Union
league, American Association of Uni
versity WomeA, National Council Of
Women. Young Women's Christian
association, Federal Council of the
Church Of Christ, national child la
Dor committee, Public Education and
Labor Associations of Pennsylvania,
social action department, National
Catholic Welfare council. National
Consumers league, National League
of Women Voters.
The committee named to represent
the so-called permanent conference
for the abolition Of child labor includ-
ed President Gompers and Secretary
Morrison of the American Federation
suf Labor; Mrs. Thomas G. Winter,
,president of the General Federation
.sof Women's Clubs; William Green,
secretary Of the United Mine Work
.ers; Miss Grace Abbot, chief Of the
sdhEldren's bureau, Representative
y0hn I. Nolan, William III. Johnson,
president of the International Asso-
ciation of Machinists, and others rep
resenting labor, civic or reform or
ganizations.
The Proposed Amendment.
AS approved by the child labor con-
ference, the proposed constitutional
amendment which Senator Mccormick
will offer, reads:
"The congress shall have power to
limit or prohibit the labor of persons
under eighteen years Of age, and pow
ee is also reserved TO the several
states to limit or prohibit such labor
In any way which does not lessen any
Limitation of such labor or the ex-
tent of any prohibition thereof by
congress-. The power vested In the
congress by this article shall be ad-
dltional to and not a Limitation on the
powc 8 elsewhere vested In the con-
gress by the Constitution with respect
to such labor"
The Mccormick resolution is not
likely to have the support of Presi-
dent Harding. This does not mean
that the President is not in favor of
regulating child labor, but 1t does
mean that he believes the states rath-
er than the federal government should
undertake this task. 1t will therefore
be the policy of the administration, so
dt is announced, to look to state leg
lisIatures to enact adequate child la
Ibor legislation where they have not
already dons 80. Since nearly all the
paees next January and
lFebruary, the administration feels
that It would be the part Of wisdom
for congress to u lay action on the
proposed constitutional amendment.
III the legislatures should come and
20 without meeting the situation in
a proper way, It will be time enough,
In the Judgment Of the administers
tion. for congress- to take up the ques-
tion Of another amendment to the
Constitution.
Bio Job Of Plucklng Board.
The board Of army officers that must
retire about 1000 Of their fellow Off,
GERS has no small Job on its hands.