Evening star., 1924-08-17
CHILD LABOR LAW
FOES POWERFUL
Farmers and Manufacturers
United to Defeat Proposed
Amendment.

temporary alliance of two great
groups long at political odds is being
effected prior to the actual work of the
campaign in the case Of capitalists and
farmers, both of which are lining up
their forces to defeat the so-cal1ed child
labor amendment to the Constitution.
advocated by organized labor and con-
siderable number of welfare and other
organizations.
Within the week the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers has launched
an attack on the proposed amendment
in the form of a brief against it, COM
piled by James A. Emery and Nathan b.
Williams. it's counsel. The brief has
been sent broadcast by the thousands.
Twenty eight State organizations of
manufacturers, as well as the parent
organization. have declared against the
amendment and are actively enlisting
the aid of other employers in their fight
The manufacturers brief follows, by a
Few days. the action of the Ohio Farm
Bureau Federation at Columbus, which
went on record against the amendment
"Id,eness by law declared the fedora
ton. lis as repulsiVe as involuntary
servitude." The American Farm Bureau
Federation also opposes the amendment
and the National Grange is scheduled
TO record its views in convention this
Fall.
Forty-four Bodies Fight Measure.
All told. ~ State and national organi-
cations oppose the measure. and about
the same number favor it, including the
powerful League of Woman Voters and
the American Federation of Labor.
The amendment. which was submitted
10 the States by Congress at the last
session. provides that Congress shall
have power to limit. regulate and pro-
hibit the labor of persons under IS years
of age At the present time many
States have child labor laws applying
70 persons under 16. the attempt to raise
the age limit two years is the crux of
the present fight
Three States already hace disposed
CT the amendment. Arkansas ratified
It: Louisiana and Georgia rejected it.
In Massachusetts it comes up for con-
sidreation or referendum vote at the
November election. Thus it will go
directly to the voters in that State
and while the Legislature is not bound
by the referendum, it is believed that
IT will follow the mandate.
Such action results from the So
called public opinion law enacted by
the MaSsa achusettS Legislature after the
passage of the prohibition and woman
suffrage amendments The Legislature
then decided that it would not act on
any future proposed amendments with
out first submitting them to the
voters. In the present fight the amend
ment is opposed by Louis Coolidge and
supported by Speaker Gillette, Repre-
sentative Ballinser and Senator Walsh.
close fight is anticipated.
4: Legislatures to BE Chosen.
Forty-two States elect Legislatures
this Fall which will meet during the
inc int 7
seems assured, will dispose of the
amendment. Ratification by 36 States
is necessary to write the amendment
into the Constitution. Rejection by 13
States would kill it. With two States
already on record as rejecting the
amendment, it's opponents are hopeful
of adding the other II before the
Winter is over
In each of the AZ States whose Leg
fslatures will meet next Winter. how
ever. an intensive fight is being plan
ned at this time both by the advocates
and opponents of the measure. The
fight will be for and against candi-
dates for the State Legislatures. 1t
will be second in interest, of course
to the national election, but in many
States it will be a close second and
In one or two may crowd national
affairs from the spotlight.
With the exceptions of the prohibi-
tion and woman suffrage amend
ments. no other proposed change to
the Constitution within the past so
years seems to have aroused plans
for such widespread campaigning.
Here is sentence from the manufac-
turers brief which indicates the
warmth of the fight just ahead:
"On the day Calvin Coolidge be-
came President of the United States
his 14-year- -oldson received $3.50 for
III l,I@
field
Cites CIasses Affected.
Under the proposed amendment,
the manufacturers claim, the Pres-
dents son would have been barred
from work until he reached the age
of IS. The claim carries with it the
supposition that Congress would
enact enabling legislation. So also.
claim the manufacturers, would all
other children under the age Of IS
be barred from any work, including
newsboys. youngsters who devote
part of their spare time to making
pocket money, girls who help with
housework at home and sons and
daughters of farmers who assist with
light work in the house or garden
Opposition of the farmers rests
largely on the showing by the census
bureau that $4,000 boys and girls
between 10 and 15 years are engaged
In agricultural pursuits. How many
more children of Is and II are so en-
gagged the census figures do not
show. 1t is estimated, however, that
more than Is per cent of the total
population is between the ages Is
and Is.
Advocates of the measure claim
that while Is years is fixed as the
extreme limit, Congress need not ac-
cept that figure but may enact leEis-
lation putting the amendment into
affect, if adopted. at Il lower age
They also claim that the measure is
necessary to protect thousands of
children at present doing a full days
work when they otherwise would be
in school. These claims are hotly