Evening star., 1924-12-14
Vital Questions Are Involved
In Child Labor Amendment
By THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President OF the United
States.

By THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President Of the United
There is nothing wrong with the
heart or brain OF US Americans, bu,
intellectual liver. I have in mind
Ilegislation when say that we do not
wake up to our condition until nau-
sea attacks us. Then we gag at our
unwise, unjust and foolish enact
ments. But by that time there Is
nothing for us to do about It save to
regret our lack of attention at the
proper momsnt. A national liver
such as ours. needs to be constantly
There has been submitted by the
Congress to the several States a pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution
inaptly termed a child labor amend
ment. l reproduce 1t In full:
section l. The Congress shall have
power to limit. regulate and prohibit
the labor Of persons under l8 years
of age.
Section Q. Tho power OF the several
states Is unimpaired by this article
except that the operation of State
laws shall be suspended to the ex-
tent necessary to give effect to leg
lsiation enacted by the Congress.
Unless We bestir ourselves and pre-
sent our views plainly to the legisIa-
lures which are meeting this Winter,
In opposition to the views of the
good-hearted but ~unwise protagonists
OF this legislation, this very foolish
amendment may become part of the
organic law of our land.
n X y X
for
ment have been cited and repeated,
but like moving picture they have,
perhaps, touched the eye and nothing z
more. 1 apprehend that most OF the
reasons have been forgotten. Some
or them are worthy of constant repe-
titio4. -.
Certain basic principles are In
volved 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 amendment
TO my mind the first question for
each citizen to determine is: Does
ne 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 1t chooses regard
less OF his desires? If the State be-
longs to the citizen, then he must
retain control over his own children
The family was constituted long be-
fore the State was thought of. The
citizen must not give to the Govern
ment In Washington the right to say
that until his children have reached
the age of Is years 1t may proclaim,
II IT chooses, that they shall remain
Tree from any order or request which
he may make of them to do and per-
form labor. however slight.
r
Next question in Importance that
tho citizen should determine is: Was
this Government really founded upon
inaltenable rights-inalienable in the
sense that the Government cannot de-
prive us of their possession, or that
:he 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 voluntarily cede
away? II the Government was actu-
ally so founded, then we should op-
pose this amendment
Long before he reaches 18 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 experiment either with his
mind or his hands. His experiments
mayhap have been in labor, for all
natural tendencies do not seek outlet
in intellectual pursuits. More often