Child Labor Bill; Hearingson H.R. 8234jan. 10, 11, and 12, 1916

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ...commerce is prohibited. As a large number of States already have provisions comparable with this bill as introduced, of course, in those States, under the Copley bill, there would he no machinery ot administration at all. Now, to some that may seem to be an advantage, and then it might not be. I merely mention it to show that there have been two solutions offered for the very serious administrative difficulties connected with the national child-labor bill, and both of those should be considered by you if you desire to report the bill introduced by Mr. Palmer affirmatively. There is one other provision of tin1 Copley bill that I should like to refer to, Mr. Chairman, with your permission. The Chairman. Certainly, sir; that is what we want; we desire to learn all that we can on this subject. Dr. Lewis. It is this: The bill introduced by Mr. Palmer excludes children between the nges of 14 and 16 years from two kinds of dangerous employment, one is the employment in mines, and the other in quarries. The bill introduced by Mr. Copley prevents a child under 1(; years of age from being employed not only in those two dangerous employments but also in coke ovens and in establishments where poisonous acids, gases, or dyes are manufactured or packed for shipment. In other words, it covers what has been discovered by the national child-labor organization to be dangerous occupations; and then it also contains what I believe, from an administrative point of view, is a clause of inh'nite value. It is this: Or in any establishment wherein the work done or materials or equipment handled are dangerous to life and limb or injuriouus to the health or morals of such child. Now, that means that you not only exclude child labor from two or three-dangerous...