Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1924-05-22
CHILD LABOR IN AMERICA

CHILD LABOR IN AMERICA-American edi-
tors are almost of one voice in expressing the de-
sire for restrictive legislation against the exploita
ton OF child labor in the country. However, they
are by no unanimous in the belief that
amendment to the constitution is the proper way
in which to obtain such legislation. This is
brought out the comment of the press upon the
passage in the House of the resolution to submit
to the States the much discussed Child Labor
Amendment.
1t is the old story of the conflict between federal
and State authority. One of the papers says:
If the labor of those under l8 can be regulated
and prohibited by federal law, the hours of
ton, or the kind of recreation, the hours of study
the kind of study can be similarly regulated
prohibited. All State laws would be suspended
fess they gave effect to such proposals The federal
government would be trying do what it couldn't
and the States would fail to do what they can and
should Up to the age OF l8 it is assumed
that boy work a farm apparently,
without npairing his health and education.
But the Springfield Union says that the moment
lie is Is he be loaded with sihe heavy
knapsack, caneen and gas mask and sent into
the horros OF modern battlefield.
The Philadelphia Bulletin says that this legisa-
tion would establish the supremacy of Congress
siona law and evade the enforcement of local law
The Duluth News-Tribune declares:
Thoughtful men have long regarded, with some
thing akin to alarm, the tendency of the federal
government to absorb the functions of State gov
ernmens and adds, the Washington bureaucracy
is growing steadily and rapidly and laws regu-
lang business and private lives of citizens be-
ing enacted at every session of Congress, each law
calling for new federal enforcement bureau and
the levyng of federal tax. While the Lynch
burg Advance asks if this process of robbing the
States of their powers continues, if this business of
securing legislation by Constitutional amendment
keeps on-and apparently it will-why not go the
whole hog" and abolish States?
Another Philadelphia paper, however, believes
the House vote of 297 to 90 is faithful reflection
of the national temper and thinks that only nation
al legislation can cure the evil-than an amend
ment to the Constitution of the United States to
ban child labor thruout the country is the only
effective way of wiping out social abuse that is
a national blot and sad commentary on sup
posedly civilized nation.
The New Orleans Times -Pcayune believes that
"since most of us nowadays conceive that merc
less exploitation of child labor is an evil not to BIZ
tolerated, tie enactment of national law aiming
at uniform protection of the children and tending
incidentally to remove the temptation to explo
child labor for competitive advantage seems tC
us a consummation devoutly to be wished
Experience has demonstrated" declares tn,
Scranton Republican, that nothing short of
Constitutional amendment will abolish the abuse
incident to child labor, which in some States
amounts to what is described as child slavery
While the New York Sun contends "the one righ
that few laggard States will lose is the righ
to abuse small children and to carry on cutthroa
competition with more enlightened neghbors OF
the basis of this cheap labor" r."-Savannah Press