Montana labor news., 1937-01-28
THE RICH OPPOSE
LABOR AMENDMENT
By HARRY RAYMOND

1t is a tiny minority. but a rich
and powerful one, that has
launched the 1887 campaign
against the Child Labor Amend
ment to the Constitution.
In the capitols of the nineteen
states that will consider the amend
ment this year agents of this minor
ity are already on the job, putting
on the pressure to defeat it. And
the slogan of the opposition is: ut
shall not pass"
The strategy of the opposition is
to block ratification of the amend
ment in at least eight states this
year. That would keep the amend
ment from getting the twelve rati-
~fieations required to make it part
of the Federal Constitution.
Thus, we find the Tennessee Man
ufacturers Association, following the
defeat of the Amendment in Ten
nessee, writing to its members:
Defeated 1874
Through the splendid cooperation
and quick action ON your part, the
Child Labor Amendment to the Fed
eral Constitution has been defeated
in the House of Representatives by
a vote of 72 to "a. This shows con-
ciusively what can be done when
men do right thinking and work to-
gether on a given matter. l know
practically every man in both
branches of the Legislature would
vote on this amendment through in
formation which members of this
association furnished me. I want to
take this opportunity of thanking the
members for their splendid help and
cooperation
The amendment comes up again
in Tennessee this year and the as
sociation is once more on the job.
In New York State where the
Amendment was defeated last
year in the Senate Judiciary
Committee the New York State
Economic Council represented
the manufacturers in appealing
for the "God-given right of chill
dren to toll"
How responsive u legislators
are when the folks at home speak
out" said an information bulletin
sent by the Council to its members.
And with an eye on the 1887 ses-
sion in Albany the Council urges its
members to continue to respond to
our requests for messages to our
Legislators. With that help from you
we can assist our Senators and As
semblymen to make wise and sound
decisions"
Among the national organizations
supporting the campaign for imme-
diate adoption of the Child Labor
Amendment are:
The National Child Labor
Committee, American Fedora
ton of Labor, American Ass0ci-
alton of Social Workers, Ameri-
can Association of University
Women, American Farm Bureau
Federation, American Home
Economics Association, Ameri-
al Legion, American Nurses
Association, Association for
Childhood Education, Commu-
mist Party, Central Conference
of American Rabbits, Federal
Council of the Churches of
Christ in America, General Fed
Grafton Of Women's Clubs, Ma
ti0nal Consumers League, Ma
tional WOmen's Trade Union
League and the Young Commu-
mist League.
1t is quite obvious that the fight
TO end child labor is a struggle of
the MANY against the FEW-a
struggle that must be intensified this
year if it is to win.
The Child Labor Amendment,
however, should be considered only
the first step in taking the child out
of the factories. Reactionaries OF
both the Republican and Democratic
parties, who in an attempt at politi-
cal rehabilitation have belatedly an
nounced their support of the Amend
ment, can be expected to use their
influence, if and when the Amend
ment is passed, to weaken the regu-
latory and probationary powers Of
child labor laws that Congress would
be empowered to enact.