The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1925-01-29
EMINENT UNIVERSITY MEN
SUPPORT CHILD LABOR LAW

hSICSIS pOullIS ulbO IlS 1NaelOllol
Child Labor committee indicate that
the child labor amendment has the
support of a very large majority OF
the nations leaders in the fields of
sociology, economics, history, COM
merce, and allied fields. Some of the
support in the universities comes from
southern states, including prominent
professors in Florida, North Carolina
and Texas.
The following statements indicate
the general line of comments followed.
The experts agree that the amendment
is no more socialistic than our present
laws, that there is no danger in in
trusting Congress with these powers,
and that it does not involve national
control of education.
Professor Wilson D. Wallis, acting
chairman, department Of Americaniza-
ton training and anthropology, Uni
versity Of Minnesota, says:
professionally, my reactions to the
questions involved in the proposed
child labor amendment are as fol-
lows: Our present system, which the
amendment is aimed to remedy, per-
mits a more brutal treatment of chill
dren- than can be found anywhere in
so-called savagery. Not only does it
permit it, but more brutal conditions
obtain in large sections of civiliza-
ton than can be found anywhere
among the ruder peoples. I say this
quite literally and with full of
professional responsibility. l will re-
tract if anyone will point me to a
single tribe-infiuenced by European
Qualification, - ryhioh ahi1Hran GRO
made to work in any manne which
denies them full development. There
is no oppressive child labor among
American Indians, none among Afrl-
can negro tribes, none in the islands
of the Pacific, none in those crude
isolated cultures of Australia, of
Ceylon or of the Audamar Islands.
Children are allowed to live their own
lives. | would welcome a return to
conditions in this country which
would give to every American child
as happy a life as the American
Indian child could claim"
Professor Charles A. Ellwood, Uni
versity of Missouri, president of the
American Sociological Society, says:
"Only ignorance, misunderstanding,
and selfshness can give rise to oppo-
sition to the proposed child labor
amendment to the federal constitution.
| do not know of a single economist
or sociologist Of high standing who
is opposed to the measure. Socially
intelligent people everywhere, from
President Coolidge down, acknowledge
the need of such an amendment. The
amendment is not even remotely So
cialistic. 1t is to be hoped that
some way will yet be discovered OF
bringing the well-intentioned people
who have lined up against the amend
ment to reconsider their position"
Harry E. Barnes, professor OF
history of Smith College, and author,
~,
labor amendment. It's general object
so desirable that e its enemies
have scarcely dared to attack 1T on
this ground. The charge that it is
socialistic will not hold water unless
one is willing to brand as socialistic
all of the legislative progress in re-
gard to social welfare in the last
century. The argument that 1t Will
interfere with the state control OF
,ducation seems to me to be very
weak. 1t could affect this matter but
in any event, and n burden
proof rests upon those who believe
intervention in this tleld TO
)e disastrous. In general, the
arguments against the child labor
amendment remind me OF the partisan
.asuistry which characterized the OPP
,onents or factory legislation IN Eng
and a hundred years ago"
DR.. Wesley Mitchell, economist, for
nerlv of the War Industries board,
.ormer president of the American
,tatisticians' Association, author OF
veil known books on the business
.ngle, says:
q support most cordially and with
ut reservation the proposed child
abor amendment. The objections to
his measure which are being used
" interested parties seem to me OBJ
-io11slv arranged to divert attention
rom the real issue. Certainly no
person will see anything
ocialistic in the child labor amend
cent. unless he believes that all legis-
alton for promoting social welfare
eserves that adjective. Nor will any
ane citizen worry about the danger
extent OIL InS pOWCl CAuo 6AFNN
o Congress. Of purse Congress has
t in its power to pass much detri-
rental legislation. Whenever any law
roves unsatisfactory in its workings,
congress repeals it either of its own
initiative or as a result of pressure
Which the public brings. As for the
tate control of education, | do not
ee that it is inimically affected by
he proposed amendment in any way"
Professor Benjamin H. Hibbard, de-
artment of agricultural economics,
,ollege of Agriculture, University of
Wisconsin, says:
81 am very heartily in favor of the 5
hid labor amendment. 1t is ex- +
unfortunate that so much mis- :
formation has been circulated and :
p~parentiy accepted by the farming
ASS as we'll as others. The farmers
ave been made to believe that the |