The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-14
The Child Labor Amendment

:, been in labor. for all natural tendencies do not seek outlet in intellectual pursuits. More often than not, perhaps, the experiment 10 made with the hands. If boy happens 10 DC peculiarly gifted in the use of his hands, he naturally looks forward to the kind of en- ployment that will enable him to develop his gift. In any event, he has a right to flush his maiden blade; he has right to attempt to fly; he has a right to experiment along any line he seems to prefer. All this is God-given right, declared by the Declaration of Independence to be inalienable. Neither his father nor any other citizen is privileged. nat urally or morally, to turn over to Washington for solution the problem touching this boy. Whether he shall develop normally is at stake. A government, particularly one dedicated [" the promition of individualistic favor, has nothing to do with it.
 Other questions for the citizen are whether he has sense enough and sufficient interest III his children to rear them properly; whether lie loves them with as great a love as can be evinced by Congress; whether he has a de- sire to foster and guard his children and to start them toward success; whether he believes that he knows as much about what is good for his children as our reformers in Wash ington; whether, finally, he is so lost to duty that he is willing that an officer of the Gov ernment shall assume the responsibility whicL nature and natures God unquestionably put upon him. uIy..
 This question of child labor is before us because in some States the life and health of children as affected by insanitary, unsafe and immoral surroundings have not been guarded as they should be by the exercise of the police powers of those States Yet I believe I am accurate in stating that only four States of the AS are not now regulating the labor of children as to places of labor, conditions and hours. But in any event the proposed amend ment is not child labor amendment; 1t is not an amendment to protect the child against dangerous employment in insanitary or i'm moral places. It proposes complete turning over of all persons under IS years of age to the kindly tutelage of the Congress of the United States.
 As the doctrine of local selfgovernr1eEt gradually is destroyed and bureaucratic gov ernment in Washington is constantly substi. tuted for it, less and less man ceases to be a citizen and more and more becomes subject If the Congress can say that child up to IS years of age cannot labor, surely it can take over the control of the countrys educational system; it can tell me what I mdj and may not teach my child.
 Every State should, of course, prohibit child labor under any condition that tends to lessen the vitality of the child or to pre- vent it's education. On this unanimity at once pleasing and practical exists. But when the Government presumes to tell me that my child is my child only~in name so far as con- trol over it is concerned and that as a matter of actuality it belongs to the Congress of the United States, then the Government has taken long step toward dissolving the family, breaking down the State, ending democracy and setting up socialism. It will not do to say, that the Congress will not exercise this right in an improper way even though tho right is conferred upon it. The Congl ess IS quite given to exercising all, the power it enjoys. Even when the Supreme Court calls l a slight halt upon it the Congress is api lo rage. |.