The Connecticut labor news., 1924-11-08
BY THE w AY
Comment and Criticism About Things
 Doing in the World.

The wise birds who say there IS no idealism in America have another think coming.
 There's plenty of idealism but it needs something to bring it out That some thing was supplied by the candidacy of Senator La Toilette, Progressive candi- date for President.
 To attend one of the big meetings ad- dressed by Senator La Toilette was a revelation of idealism that would have confounded the most hardened cynic. On every side were men and women of Iall political faiths, uniting in a spon- taneous tribute to the man who repre- sented in their eyes the best in Ameri- can political life.
 The whole behavior of the crowds the stirring demonstration made at the appearance of La Toilette on the plat form, the enthusiastic and long contin- ued applause at every telling point which he made-all gave notice that the peo- pie were moved by the ideaHsrn that has always animated mass movements in be- half of better things. The whole spirit of the meeting showed that the people had caught vision of better nation and better world and that a lofty idealism inspired their ardor for the Progressive cause.
 That was a deserved rebuke given b. sY- NJ = | A the self-styled Citizens Committee to Protect Our Homes and Children" that telegraphed an impudeft inquiry to the association, limiting strongly that the "committee" suspected the association had no right to pledge its members to the support of the child labor amend ment
 The Education Association lost no time in telling the committee" that the vote to back the child labor amendment represented the associations entire membership and that the committee" should be ashamed to oppose Federal protection of children.
 The action of the Citizens Commit tee to Protect Our Homes and Child ren" shows that the opponents of the child labor amendment are waging de- termined campaign to block ratification of the amendment This campaign should but stir the friends of the amend ment to greater activity in its behalf, especially in letting the people know the source of the opposition to the amend ment. Greedy and short-sighted manu- lecturers are behind much of the op- position to Federal protection of the young. When the people are made to realize this, they will have little. pa tience with such camoufaged oTganiza- tions as the Citizens Committee to Pro- tect Our Homes and Children"
 Despite justified criticism of the United States Supreme Court" as an enemy of progress, occasionally the court hands down decision that makes for liberty and advancement. The re- cent decision holding that the striking railroad shopmen convicted of con- tempt of court were entitled to jury trials is a case in point
 Another recent Supreme Court deci- sion worthy of praise was that holding that confession obtained by third de gree" methods should not have been ad- mitted as evidence at the trial of a | Chinaman convicted on a murder 1 charge.
 The third degree method of extort- ing confessions" should not be tolera- ted for moment i'll any civilized ma ton. It is unfair and cruel, destructive of the accused persons constitutional rights and there is not the slightest ex- cuse for its employment. It is on par with obtaining confessions by torture, which was supposed to have been abol- shed with the passing of the Middle Ages.