Montana labor news., 1937-03-11

Inc OF me CnllQ LQDOr
Amendment to the Federal Constitution
by the Kdnsos Legislature raised the list
Of rdtifYing states to twenty-eight. This
leaves only eight more states necessary
10 make the amendment the fundamental
law Of the land, Kentucky. Nevodd and
New Mexico having dlreddY acted fdvor-
ably on the proposal this year. IN
favorable action is reported by North
Carolina, South Dakota and Texas.
It wds expected thot before now the
amendment would have been adopted
by the New York Legislature. increasing
the rdtifYing states to t%wentY-nine. The
Senate of thdt state hGd Qlreddy passed
the rdtifYing resolution. and the Judiciary
Committee Of the Assembly had held
hearings preparatory to laying the reso-
luton before that body, where prompt
action Wds anticipated. But the dedth
Of AssemblYmdn Richard B. Smith, Re
publican member from Ononddgd.
changed the prospects for prompt action.
The Republicans with 76 votes to "a for
the Democrats, controlled the Assembly.
The death of Mr.. Smith reduced the Re-
publican strength to one less thdn the
constitutional majority Of rs votes need
ed to pass dnY bill. 1t wds reported that
the Republican ledders would insist on
all controversial legislation BEING post
poned until the vacancy caused by the
passing Of Mr.. Smith is filled by ON cleo
ton. which would require three or four
weeks.
Much Of the opposition to the dmend-
ment before the Judiciary Committee of
the New York Assembly was based on
the argument thdt giving Congress- pow
or to limit, regulate and prohibit the labor
Of persons under Is years of age" would
result in our Federal legislators reguldt
ing the details of the lives of all persons
under l8. including the designation Of
schools they shall attend, separating
them from their parents, assigning them
10 work at particular tdsks. and passing
many other sorts Of extraordinary and
foolish legislation.
To these fdlldcious~ objections the New
York Times made the following editorial
reply:
These fedrs have no real foundation.
The amendment grants to Congress no
powers thdt the State Legislatures do not
ulreddY possess. and Congress muy be
expected to use these powers with at
least as much discretion as the State Leg
~isldtures have shown"
1t is well known thdt in many states
the laws regulating the labor Of children
fUll for below the standards effective in
some states to safeguard the health and
education Of boys and girls by protect
ing them from ruthless exploitation by
subversive employers. This condition
places high-stdnddrd manufacturers at q
competitive disadvantage with mdnufuc-
turers in low-stdnddrd states. Anotionul
law alone is adequate to secure high
and uniform standards throughout the
notion. The ratification of the Child La
Dor Amendment is absolutely necessary
TO give Congress the power to enact such
q law.
Action on the amendment is scheduled
in the following states whose legislatures
ore either in session now or will be dur
ing 1887: South Cdrolind, New York. Ne
brdsku. Maryland. Connecticut, Florida,
Massachusetts,. Rhode Isldnd, Vermont,
Tennessee, Delaware, Georgia, dnd Mis-
sissippi. Its ratification by these states
hos been urged by President Roosevelt
und the American Federation Of Labor.