The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-16

The women in the Children's Bureau of the La
Dor Department at Washington, under the leader
ship of Secretary Frances Perkins, resurrected the
so-calIed Child Labor Amendment in the spring OF
1888, and have since persistenty sought to over
bear the considered judgment of the thirty-eight
State legislatures which rejected it nearly ten years
ago.
1t is consistent with the primary characteristic
of all federal bureaus always to reach out for more
power and larger appropriations.
In the new propaganda, which ignores the fact
that every State in the Union has now enacted laws
AGAINST child labor, these women contend that the
amendment is designed only to prevent the exploit
talon of children of tender years in commercial
lied and industrialized employments, and that 1t
contains no power by which federal bureaus could
regulate or prohibit the work of young persons in
the home or on the farm.
1t is only necessary to quote from the official
record of the House and Senate hearings held on
the Amendment in 1923 and 1924, and from the
debates on the floor of Congress, to learn the
flsity of this propaganda and to discover how vast
is the power sought by this amendment to be lodged
in, the federal government .
This amendment largely drafted by Mrs. Flor
ertce Kelley (Wischnewetsky), who lobbied through
Congress the bill creating the federal Childrens
Bureau, would actually give to the federal govern
ment unlimited control the occupational, edu-
catonal and recreational activities of every young
person in the United States under Is years of age.
It's power to nationalize and regiment American
youth as completely that power is exercised to
support the relationships of Italy, Germany and
Russia. $500. .. s....
The text of the amendment follows:
The Congress shall have power to limit. reg
ulate and prohibit the labor Of persons under
hs years of age. .
Mark that it is not employment" or paid labor
which the women of the Children's Bureau wish
"to limit regulate and prohibit" but Labor" which
means paid or unpaid work, in the home, on the
farm or anywhere. The definition of labor" in
every dictionary is physical or mental exertion"
hence this unqualified grant of power would extend
equally to mental labor or education carrying with
it an implied power to control recreation as an in
cident to rendering effective the granted power.
In the House hearings held on Feb 10, 1924,
Miss Abbott, under questioning of Representative
Hatton w. Summers, chairman of the House Judi
cisry committee, stated she wanted general
grant of power" the labor of young persons
under Is years of age. ,-.
Rem, Montague: You would make no exception
at, all?
Miss Abbott: would make no exception at all.
Rep. Montague: You would give them just as
much power as to farming as you would to mines,
or any other work occupation?
Miss Abbott: Yes; as far as the power goes.
in the Senate hearing, held on January 10, 1928
Mrs Kelley had already insisted upon the spacious
wording of her amendment. -.,
II had been represented to the congressman that
SO national organizations, embodyng millions OF
women. were demanding that this amendment be
adopted That Congress believed this was so is in
dicated by the fact that % amendments offered
from the floor of the two houses, seeking to limit
the power and protect the American family and
home agains. federal intrusion, were overwhelm.
ingly rejected. .ts,1,.s.i.s. -
There were Is such amendments offered in the
committee of the whole house on April 26, 1924
(dsth Cong. 1st Session. PIP. 72s6-7295.) The first
was offered by Representative Montague, of Viz
GINA, in these words: ..., "a, -.. .a,.
'This article shall be imperative unless it shall
have been ratified rs an amendment to the Con
sttution by the conventions of the several States
within seven years of the submission hereof b!
Congress" e..
Objecting to this proposal to submit the amend
ment to conventions of the people in the States
instead of to their legislatures, Representative Eos
ter said: L.. 80 ps.-. sC .,o ~ :,
az think every gentleman in this house, whether
he is for. or against this amendment, understand.
that the motive so evidently back Of the amend
m&nt-at least the result to be accomplished b,
the proposed amendment-would be to defeat any
child labor law. a
.Thirtsen states, by failure to ratify, through
conventions, within seven years would automati
S,E-&.kTsas-Sss-'Iss's 49, s>.s'sgtts ~ rs