The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-21
LONG FIGHT
NEARING
CLOSE
powerful interests and Paid
Propagandists Defeated in
Committee.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

by WILLIAM HARD.
Another piece of actual legisla-
tive work by this Congress rose to
the level Of possible enactment to-
day when it became known that
Chairman Graham Of the Judiciary
Committee Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives had agreed to allow the
proposed child-labor Constitutional
amendment to be reported to the
House from the Judiciary Com
mittee next Wednesday.
It simultaneously was learned
that in the Judiciary Committee
OF the Senate a child-labor amend
ment will in all probability be dis
cussed and possibly approved and
reported to the Senate in a meet
ing OF the Committee next Monday.
May Mark Fights End.
THESE events are thought to mark
tne end of the bitter fight which
mas been waged against the idea of
. child.labor constitutional amend
ment by the Pennsylvania Manufac.
eurers' Association. by the United
Shoe Machinery Company, by the
National Manufacturers Associa.
ton. by the Moderation League of
Philadelphia, by the Women's Con.
sttutional League Of Maryland, by
the editor Of the Southern Textile
Bulletin, and by the local Wash.
1ngton publication called the "Wom-
an Patriot" which is controlled by
interests formerly opposing suffrage
Tor women and now opposing boil
ehevism, communism, socialism,
anarchtsm and legislation prohibit.
Ing child labor.
Violent, opposition to the child
labor amendment was expressed be-
fore the House Judiciary Committee
also by the organization called
The Sent1nels Of the Republic, I"
1pOakfng through it's president, the
distinguished Bostonian, Louis A.
Coolidge. Mr.. Coolidge opposed
also the Thirteenth Amendment to
the Constitution which abolished
slavery in 1865, and said that all
the amendments to the Constitu-
ton since the twelfth had been
mistakes.
Graham With Critics.
Chairman Graham Of the House
Judiciary Committee sided strongly
with the critics Of the child-labor
amendment and gave them pro:
I0nged opportunities to be heard.
He is among those who believe
that the weight of common sense
u for leaving such matters as child
labor to. the decisions Of the several
separate States.
This argument was presented with
great ability to the House Judiciary
Committee by representatives of
organizations of manufacturers, but
It did not prevail with the COM
mittee.
A majority of the members of
the House Judiciary Committee Is
known today to favor the child-labor
amendment. These members arc
led in this respect by Representa-
tive Israel M. Foster, of the Tenth
district of Ohio, who will probably
be in charge Of the resolution for
the constitutional amendment when
It leaves the Judiciary Committee
and begins to make its way across
the floor of the House.
The spectacular fact is that the
opposition to this child-labor amend
ment by the chairman Of the House
Judiciary Committee. by powerful
organizations Of influential manu-
facturers, and by the representatives
OF various numerous SOC1tieS speak
ing in the name Of Americanism
and Of patriotism against radicalism
and Bolshevistic Russianism has
broken down, and the child-labor
amendment seems certain today to
60 to the House Of Representatives
with the overwhelming approval Of
the House Judiciary Committee at
tached to it."
"Red" Charges Expunged
Certain testimony charging sup.
porters Of the amendment with be-
ing Bolsheviks controlled by Moscow
was ordered by the committee to
be expunged from the record of the
committee hearings.
In the Senate it is well known
that the chairman Of the Senate's
Judiciary Committee, Senator Bran
degee Of Connecticut, is personally
conscientiously opposed to all fads,
fancies, frills, aAd foolishness, and
that among such things he terds
commonly to include the idea Of for.
ever amending the Constitution.
In this case, however, 1t is also
known that Senator Brandegee Is
making no real fight against this
proposed amendment. It is further
known that a majority Of Sena tor
Brandegee's committee agree with
the majority Of Congressman Ora.
hams House Judiciary Committee in
favoring the amendment.
The prospect now accordingly is
that the tchild-labor amendment will
be debated in both Houses and
that many debaters will call atten-
tion to the fact that the Republi.
can national platform of 1920 said
that "the Republican party stands
for a Federal child-labor law; and
If the present law be found uu.
constitutional, we will Seek other
means to enable Congress to pra.