Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-22
"UNADULTERATED BOLSHEVISM"
BY BISHOP w

1 states OF the American union Will not APP
Il prove what is known "the Child Labor
Amendment" to the Federal Constitution.
This unwise and dangerous amendment
has been adopted by both houses of the con-
gress of the United States, and, thereby, it
has been passed to the States for rejection or
ratification.
Thus far three states have acted upon it
through their respective Legislatures. Two
states have rejected it. and one (Arkansas)
has ratified it.
1t is a piece of legislative sentimentality
which appeals strongly to people who are
controlled more by their feelings than by
their reason. But the purest emotions are
often most blind, and the following of them
frequently leads to the defeat of the real
objects which excite them.
Such is the case with this Child Labor
Amendment to the Constitution. Every I'M
perverted heart responds instantly to what
ever proposes to promote the welfare of
children. The helpessness of childhood
arouses sympathy and awakens zeal it's
behalf 1t is on this account that many good
people have been moved to give their sup
port to this bad measure. With their sensi-
bilities excited on behalf of children they
have fixed their attention upon imaginary
benefits to be derived from the amendment
and they have overlooked the real and in
evitable evils which will flow from it.
There are other things that vitality affect
their exemption from labor until they have
attained eighteen years of age.
There are matters which concern the
sacred authority of parenthood and the
sanctty of the home which cannot be ig-
nored and disregarded without the greatest
damage to childhood and the most serious
injury to society.
The worlds earliest and best form of gov
eminent was patrarchal. The father of the
family was the ruler of the home by "divine
right" But as population increased, as
households expanded into tribes, and as
tribes grew to nations other forms Of gener-
al government became necessary. 1t must
not be supposed, however, that these more
enlarged governments superseded the gov
eminent of the family and entirely set it
aside. The best and most that they could
do was to protect and perpetuate the house
hold government which is the unit of all
true civilization and the foundation of all
ether forms of government.
But this "Child Labor Amendment" tends
to dscredit and dethrone parents and sub
vert family government, substituting for par
enthood paternalistic government at Wash
ington and empowering the federal Con-
gress to stand in loco PARENTS to all the
children of the country under eighteen years
of age. This is nothing less than mon
strous proposal. 1t proceeds on the absurd
assumption that Congress will be more ten
DERBY concerned for children than their own
parents, and that from the distant national
capital congressional tenderness and wisdom
will do better for them than their affection
ate fathers and mothers, watching over them
in their homes. This assumption appraises
congressional government far above it's
worth and puts home government far below
its value.
Upon this point Hon Charles R. Crisp, Of
Georgia., spoke most pontedly and truly when
this amendment was under consideration by
the House of Representatives. He said:
Nov, Mr.. Speaker, this proposed amend
ment goes further, in my Judgment, than any
amendment that has ever been proposed to
the Constitution far the control of
human rights is commemorative God-giyen,
inalenable right of parents to regulate and
control their own children whom God gave
them. This amendment will authorize the
Federal Government to invade the sanctuary
of the homes of the nation, the cornerstone on
which the nation is builded What does the
amendment propose?
That Congress shall have the power
to limit regulate and prohibit the labor
of persons under eighteen years of age.
"The amendment does not limit nor con-
fine the power of Congress to legislate with
respect to their work in mines, factories,
sweatshops, or other places injurious to their
moral and physical welfare, but it goes fur
ther-t is as wide open the heavens
and provides that Congress have author
stores, or other wholesome and healthful oc-
equations Aye, it goes even further, it con-
fers upon Congress the power to say girl
under Is years of age cannot work to assist
her mother in doing the housework
cooking dish washing, and forth, in her
own home, and that son of like age cannot
help his own father to work on a farm
Remarking upon a pamphlet circulated
among both the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives by the lobbyists through whose eff
forts this dangerous measure pushed
through Congress, Mr.. Crisp went to say:
eve all received pamphlet entitled Child
Labor Facts issued and circulated by the
proponents of this amendment, ladies and
gentlemen actuated by humanitarian motives,
presenting reasons why the amendment should
be adopted. On page 10 the statement is made:
The Southern States have larger Ter
centage of Ghild labor than any other sec
ton of the country because Of the predom
nance of agriculture there
"OnIy 20 per cent of the children of Georgia.
including white and black, are engaged in
gainful occupations, - per cent of the 20 be-
ing engaged in work farms. The same
pamphlet urges as a reason for this amend
ment that children work the farms in the
cranberry boys of New Jersey; that they are
used to pick berries for canneries and packing
fruit; that in Michigan they used in the
beet-sugar industry; that in the South they
are used in raising cotton in Kentucky and
Virginia in the tobacco fields. In view of
these statements if the power should be con-
ferred upon Congress to control the. right to
labor of children under eighteen years of
age, God alone knows what future Congresses
will do Today we have legislation by bocs-
tbo fo~ lob Ibo 1ab0