The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-14
Bv THOMAS R. MARSHALL
Former Vice President of the United St'

Former Vice PresldenC Oi thc Cnitou Ctatoo' There is nothing wrong with the heart or
 brain of us Americans but we do suffer at times from a torpid intellectual liver. l have | in mind legislation when I say that we do | not wake up to our condition until nausea
 attacks us. Then we gag at our unwise, unjust and foolish enactments. But Dy that time there is nothing for us to do about It save to regret our lack of attention at the
 proper moment A national liver such as ours needs to be constantly prodded. There has been submitted by the Congress to the several States proposed amendment
 to the Constitution inaptly termed child labor amendment. I reproduce it in full. Section 1. The Congress shall have power to limit regulate ard prohibit the labor Of
 persons under IS years of age.
 Section 2 The power of the several States is unimpaired by this article except that the operation of State laws shall be suspended to the extent necessary to give effect to leg- islation enacted by the Congress.
 Unless we bestir ourselves and present our views plainly to the legislatures which are
 meeting this Winter, in opposition tc the views of the good-hearted but unwise pro tagonists of this legislation, this very foolish amendment may become part of the organic law of our land.
 Reasons for rejection of this amendment have been cited and repeated, but like nov ing picture they have, perhaps, touched the eye and nothing more. I apprehend that most of the reacons have been forgotten. Some of them are worthy of constant repetition. Certain basic principles are involved in this proposal. As citizens we should settle them at once and forever. Upon the settlement of these principles by the people through their legislative bodies rests the fate of this amend ment
 To my mind the first question for each cit izen to determine is Does he belong to the State or does the State belong to him? Or, in other words: Has he organized the State to do his will or is the State organized to make him do as it chooses regardless of his desires? If the State belongs to the citizen, then he must retain control over his own chil- dren. The family was constituted long be- fore the State was thought of. The citizen must not give to the Government in Wash ington the right to say that until his children have reached the age of IS years it may pro- claim, if it chooses, that they shall remain make of them to do and perform labor, how ever slight.
 Next question in importance that the cit izen should determine is: Was this Govern ment really founded upon inalienable rights inalienable in the sense that the Government cannot deprive us of their possession, or that the courts are powerless to take them away from us, or that we ourselves in justice to those who are to come after us may not volun- tarlly cede away? If the Government was actually so founded, then we should oppose this amendment.
 Long before he reaches IS years of age a normal child has begun to find his way in the world. He has begun to dream of his life work and to reason concerning it. He has be- gun to experlMent either with his mind or his hands, His experiments mayhap have