The Washington times., 1924-05-29
CONVENTION On
. CHILD LABOR
CLOSES
Delegates Assured of Passage
of Amendment in Senate.
Pepper Strong in Support

SHHSs SS'VS'6 -
Delegates to the child labor con
vention meeting which closed last
night are leaving for their homes
confident that the child labor amend
ment will be voted on favorably, in
the Senate Monday.
Senator George Wharton Pepper
announced himself as in hearty IA
vor Of the passage Of the bill.
Rabbi Wise, Of New York, said
that the welfare OF the child Is the
responsibility of every church. and
the right Of the child to q child's life
should be safeguarded.
Mrs. John j. O'Connor, child
welfare chairman of the National
League for Women Voters, said that
the politicians should look to 1t that
the child labor question is looked on
favorably II they would sway the
vote Of the women of the coun'
try.
A feather Of the afternoon session
was the introduction Of a resolu'
ton favoring the child labor law
by Henry M. Loornis, secretary of
the National Gamers Association.
The Reverend Doctor William j
Kerby, Catholic University pro
lessor. was branded as a. "philo
sophical anarchist for his stand on
child labor legislation, by Doctor
Royal Meeker, secretary Of labor
and industry for Pennsylvania, al
yesterdays session Of the child labor
convention. Doctor Meeker took
vigorous exception to Doctor Kerby &
opinion that the campaign for a
child labor amendment to the Con
stitution was the worst way Of at,
lacking the problem.
The speaker declared Doctor
Kerby contradicted himself in his
statements, and quoted a statement
Of the professor to the effect that a
proper law was the only means OF
relieving the child labor situation.
Attacks Theater Employment.
Doctor Meeker spoke on the
futility of administration without
proper legislation, and explained
what the child labor law really
means. He attacked the employ.
ment Of children in the theatrical
profession. and said that the State
OF Pennsylvania has ruled child
acts out of that State, but that
they were permitted in Ohio, Mary.
land, New York, and other. States
where 1.-The communities are more
backward" He said that child labor
in the theaters was not the beatific
existence pictured before the So.
ciety for the Protection Of Cruelty
to Children.
Mr.. Grennen. speaking for
Bernard Shientag, industrial COM
missioner for the Department of
Labor, New York, said that he was
glad that the theatrical ruling of
the child labor laws had not reached
New York. I'VE have enough
troubles without that" he said. He
added that the three most important
effective things to meet the child
LABOR problem were proper laws,
the proper commissioner, and proner
reasons for action.
Educate those interested" he
said, because If the schools ara r.
help, they must do more than thew
are doing now" He said he he
lieved that children are denrived
OF the right kind Of employment
If working before they are sixtean
years Of age.
Julia Lothrop, former chief Of
the Chiidren's Bureau, spoke on
Child Administration" Her tall
centered about the need for co
operation between the State an6
the Federal Government to gel
erfective child labor laws. She
praised newspapers for their help
Discusses the Farmer.
=: G. Lindeman, High Bridge
N. j., discussed the attitude Of III,
farmer to the child labor law. HI
SAID that the facts had been mis-
represented to the farm element
who were attacking the law he
cause they did not understand II
He called the opposition of The
farmers wholly unexpected and sait
that If it is not a menace to thu
passage OF legislation by Congress,
1t might cause State lesislators r.
refuse action.
He said that farmers do mt mad
exemption from the child laSor
ruImg to be successful, but thew
uO neeo a more economic system
oI production and distribution,
N the United States Govern.
ment does not accept standards for
cnlld labor" he concluded, 1T will
be putting to work immigrant chill.
dren who could not have been legal.
~ employed in their own Countries.
Others Who Spoke.
Other speakers were John Hon.
Klns Hail, jr., commissioner of Ia.
Dor Richmond, Va; Jean McAlpine
Her field agent, New York; Made.
ielne n. Appel. Massachusetts; Viola
PARADISE, New York; Jeanne Minor
New York, and Bruce Watson. Phil.
adelphia. All
Samuel Gompers presided at this
afternoons meeting. Tonight fhe
principal speakers will be Senator
George Wharton Pepper, DR.. Sam,
OConnor, Owen r. Loveiov. and
DR.. Stephen Wise. New York citv.