Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-09

public funds to religious education is
utterly out or harmony with American
deals and will inevitably disrupt the
STATE; II this principle should become
established. Thirty-three states, faced
by conditions very similar to our own,
nave adopted constitutional amend
ments designed to prohibit such
grant The people Of our State seem
TO nave Afforded rather ample evidence
SION to them of constitutional amend
! ment prohibiting any such diversion
or public funds. Such referendum
| Will satisfy great body of our citi-
zens who are seriously concerned over
| this question and remove threatening
problem from the educational situation
| in this State.
Public Dependents
In recent years, with an unselfsh
sacrifice that does them great credit,
many OF our citizens have given an in
creasing amount of their thought and
their money to the cause of those un-
fortunate members of our society who
themselves. 1t indicates spiritual
awakening among our citizenry that
their thoughts should be turned in
such measure to the misery of their
fellow-men. Private agencies are do
ing remarkable work in relief Gov
ernmental relief-work has expanded
tremendously in the last decade. In
justice to future generations of de-
pendents its abuse must not be per-
mftted and its limits should be care
fully defined. The care of the grow
Ing children who are dependents of the
State by State agency with substan-
tial contributions by the localities con-
cernsd and its limits should be care
fully defined. The care of the grow
ing children who are dependents of the
State by State agency with substan-
tial contributions by the localities
concerned has established it's wisdom
nection with the care of the other
charges of the State. it seems possible
that we have departed too far from
the principle of local aid Institutions
for the care of the detectives must be
maintained by central authority, but
some fair portion of this expense
should be laid upon the local commune
ty In order to prevent the possibility
of its abuse. If a locality can profit
by transferring a charge to the State
the classification Of unfortunates by
the locality is very unlikely to preju-
dice the interests of the State. No
reason is apparent why locality
| should save money by having a poor
person declared insane. and yet that
is the result Of the laws we now have
in effect.
The more nearly we can approach to
the principle Of local responsibility for
tHc yale VI oui uepclfueHtS Will
protection against abuses that were
well known to exist the stronger bull
wark We shall have built against the
increase of paternalism and socialism
under a charitable guise. The same
principle applies to Federal action.
The problem is to wisely estimate the
various factors in order to draw the
proper line.
Federal Child Labor Amendment
Tho 81 10 Of ha vi cd
States has transmitted to the EXecu-
tive Department of the State of Maine
a certified copy of Joint Resolution
passed on June q 1924. by the Senate
United States. proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United
| States, which shall give Congress the
power. to limit. regulate and prohibit
years Of age" The proposed amend
Section 1. The Congress shall have
power to limit, regulate, and prohibit
the labor of persons under eighteen
Section 2. The power of the sew
eral States is unimpaired ty this Ar.
ticle except that the operation of
State laws shall be suspended to the
extent necessary to give effect to legis-
lation enacted by the Congress"
In accordance with the provisions of
our Federal constitution this proposed
amendment has received the endorse
rpent of two-thirds of the members Of
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States and is now
in order for consideration by the legis-
latures Of the several States. Three
fourths must ratify in order that the
amendment shall take effect.
Very heated controversy has devel-
oped regarding this amendment. Its
origin. its purpose and its character
have been very bitterly attacked.
tat. ANtr tt~t.
this amendment the Republican mem
bers of the legislature may we'll in
vestigate the reasons which impelled
the Republican National Convention
of Congress in submitting this amend
ment to the several states. There
seems to be a considerable conflict of
opinion as to the facts upon which
the appeal for this legislation is based
If you are. not able to resolve these
controversies satisfactorily to your
self by the thorough investigation
that you shall make, and are thus
compelled to take the opinion Of some
one as to the wisest course to pursue.
you may consider whether or not CAL
vim Coolidge is in an excellent position
. to know what are the conditions of
child labor throughout the United
States, and also whether or not he is
in position to pass as disinterested
and dispassionate judgment as any
one upon the merits Of this proposal
and its relation to our needs.
Every member of Congress from
the State Of Maine has also supported
this amendment together with practi-
cally all of the Republican members
of Congress and very many Demo-
Gratis. The Associated Industries of
posal of Federal amendment within
this past year. and now distinguish
their objection solely upon the ground
that the age limit is too high; The
age limit was determined by the CON
sideration of certain employments
where the moral or physical hazard
make 1t undesirable that persons under
eighteen should be employed. 1t was
not practicable nor customary to spe-
city these exceptions in an amendment
to our fundamental law. Maine in
common with many of its sister states
now "limits, regulates and prohibits
the labor of certain persons up to the
. age of eighteen years and even above
that age, so thot such an age limit is
, obviously not a departure from our
practice if the principle of Federal ac--
. ton in such a matter is accepted. and
it was this principle which the Assoc
ciated Industries of our State en-
dorsed.
There are undoubtedly selfish inter-
ests who oppose this amendment, but
that does not seem necessarily an ar
gument either for or against the law.
. 1t should simply make us more care
full to examine the validity of the
opinions that are presented on the
| ramifcations of the law.
This seems simply the preliminary
skirmish in a far more fundamental
/ conflict that impends. Within our gem
: Grafton we are likely. to determine
r whether the family shall be allowed
t to keep the child from the public
! school, We shall be faced with the
problem Of whether democracy can
; continue If increasingly large groups
| of our children shall be. segregated
for education. This social problem is