The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-30
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

WHATEVER the temporary setbacks of the
w Child Labor Amendment due to the col
fusion Of venal economic interests and subservl-
ent legislators, the battle for economic decency
and social Justice must go INCREASINGLY.
A clear and authoritative argument for the
desirability of ratifying the Child Labor Amend
ment to the Constitution is embodied in an
article by the distinguished New York lawyer,
Charles G. Birmingham, on The Need Tor a
Federal Child Labor Amendment" in the Amer
lean Bar Association Journal of April, 1885.
| Well known as a public spirited ex-president
of the Bar Association Of New York City and
one of the most respected lawyers in the United
States the patrioteering sweaters OF child labor
can hardly allege that he is inspired by MOSCOW.
His views are those of a civilized American
in the twentieth century, interested in promot-
ing at least the minimum of social justice Which
is essential for even the temporary survival OF
capitalism.
I'm the first place, Mr.. Birmingham makes 1t
Il crystal clear that state regulation OF Child
labor is utterly inadequate:
For more than a century we nave relleo
upon state legislation to protect children from
the hazards of industry State legislation has
failed Even today nine states, through exemp-
lions in their child labor laws, permit children
under IA to work in factories; eight states
permit children between ID and Is to work
to IL hours day; II states allow such
children to work until 8 p m. or later "a
states have practically no regulation of the
employment in hazardous occupation of TO- and
17-year- old boys and girls.
The inadequacy and widely divergent stand
ards of state child labor legislation reflected
in child labor conditions Between 1920 and
$780, the number of children Is years and
under employed in the textile industry in the
United States decreased So per cent. But in
contrast with this decrease for the country as
whole, two important textile states-South
Carolina and Georga-reported 20 per cent
more children employed in textile mills in 1880
than in 1920. In these two states children may
work for 10 hours a day, six days week
I'm the North, the Southern textile mills
had their counterpart in the SweatShopS which
sprang up during the early days of the depres-
sion. Children were an important element in
the cheap labor supply on which sweatshops
flourished. Studies in Connecticut and Penn
sylvania revealed that in some clothing factories
were IA and 15-year-old children.
The medium average weekly earnings of
II and 15-year- old children in Pennsylvania for
a full weeks work was 1881. The Pennsylvania
Department of Labor further reports that al
though the total number of working children
decreased during the depression period, the de-
crease was not marked as compared with the
general reduction in employment for all work.
erS. In 1881 when adule workers were losing
their jobs at a stupendous rate more IA and
15-year-old children were employed in some
AVER against this century Of failure of state
~ control we have the remarkable achieve
ments of Federal regulation within less than
two years of the operation of the child labor pro-
visions of the NRA code.
The situation in Pennsylvania is typical.
Only two children under Is were found at work
out of 10000 employees in the cotton garment in
dustry, whereas in 1882 one worker out of every
Is was under Is. During the last four months
of 1888 not one work permit for industrial en-
ployment was issued to a child uncer 16 in the
entire state of Alabama or in q cities including
such important textile and clothing centers as
Fall River. New Bedford, Jersey City, Hoboken.
Camden, Buffalo, New York and Allentown.
One of the most subtle and dangerous argu-
ments against the ratisfcation of the amend
ment is the assertion that we should let this one
die and prepare another and more satisfactory
amendment.
Mr.. Birmingham riddles this contention He
shows that it would be difficult, if not imposSf-
bic, to provide better composite of intelligent
opinion on child labor than that embodied IN
the present amendment or to obtain more dis
tinguished and competent advice than was
solicited by the committee in change of framing
the amendment.