The Connecticut labor news., 1925-01-24
SENATOR WALSH
 SCORES FOES OF
 CHILD LABOR BAN
Declares Opposition of National Asso.
 didly and Sickeningly Selfish

Washington, Jan. A.-In speech in defense of the federal child labor amendment, Senator Walsh of Mon tanan declared on the floor of the sen- ate that opposition ofthe National As- sociation of Manufacturers lis sordidly and sickeningly selfish" The senator is member of the judiciary committee that reported the child labor amend ment.
 The manufacturers association has issued pamphlet against the amend ment, which was prepared by its attor- ney, James A. Emery Referring to this document, Senator Walsh said:
 Both that association and its coun- sel came into unenviable prominence through the investigation of the "insi- dious lobby" conducted by the judiciary committee of the senate in the year 1915 It was established by correspondence of which the committee became possessed that the unspeakable Mulhall had oper- ated for number of years about Wash ington as the paid lobbyist for that or ganization under the direction of Emery the activities of the pair taking wide range, but centering in an effort to de- feat legislation in which organized la bor was interested, legislation which af- rewards received the sanction of con gress and the president in what is known as the Clayton law"
 Pointing to efforts of the manufactu- rers' association to enlist the support of farmers, Senator Walsh called attention to the activities of lone David Clark of Charlotte, N. C. who instigated the suits in which the federal child labor acts of lol6 and 1919 were declared un- constitutional by the United States su- preme court Clark is aeditor of the Southern Textile Bulletin, and Is on rec ord as saying: "Ever since the amend ment passed (Congress) we have been laying the groundwork for the situation that is now rapidly developing Clark and his associates, Senator Walsh said, are distributing literature to the farmer @as part of that groundwork"
 The Montana senator, who is conce- ded to be one of the best constitutional lawyers in the country, riddled the claim of amendment opponents who insist that congress will stop all child labor on the farms and will control education
 Referring to the control of education claim, Senator Walsh said that this ori- ginated with some one who knew better to excite the fears of some undiscrimi- hating mind"
 "I venture the assertion that the amendment affords no ground for even serious argument, that 1t has such scope or that any self-respecting lawyer will ever stand before a court to contend that 1t does, assuming that congress should ever conclude that 1t was, by the amendment, vested with any such power"
 Answering the fear that it IS danger ous to give congress the power to regu- late child labor, Senator Walsh pointed out that the states now have that power. He also showed that congress has un- limited power to do other things, but has never taken advantage of this power.
 What are the facts about congress exercising all the power vested in it? It is clothed with the power of taxa tion, and John Marshall justly declared that the power to tax is the power to destroy. Has congress exercised even in war times the fullness of its power to tax? No one doubts its power of to take over all the railroads of the country, at least the interstate lines, but up to the present time, except to meet the exigencies of war, has exhibited no purpose to do so.
 "The power to regulate commerce covers an enormous field into which the federal authority has entered only to a limited extent.
 Under the treaty-making power, Il maintain, though there are varying views on the subject, the president and the senate might deliver over Maine, Michigan or Montana to the Dominion of Canada. If power is to be withheld from the government because conceiv- ably it might be abused, anarchy must ensue.
 ."I have heretofore pointed out that the power to enact child labor laws power having been abused by the leg islatures of the states by which 1t is en- joyed in full measure, none of them having passed any law held to be viola tive of the liberty of the citizen, what reason can be assigned for believing that congress will act with less judg- ment or discretion?