Newspapers / The Charlotte Herald (Charlotte, … / May 2, 1924, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Herald (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
CHILD LABOR AMENDMENT ADOPTED IN CONGRESS BY LARGE MAJORITY (Continued From Page One.) the textile workers especially to Senator Overman, and to these peo ple the best dressed senator has re plied that they are not informed on the question, else surely they would not be advocating the enactment of the measure, or words to that effect. Already the plea is being made to the farmers in an effort to line them up against the amendment, and The Charlbtte Observer published a long, rambling editorial Wednesday mprn ing, containing far-fetched ideas in an apparent effort to bumfuzzle the farmers. Rather early in the game to start such stuff, for it goes with out saying that the farmers are much too intelligent to accept such teachings and interpretations. America is going to protect its childhood against those who would, and have, employed children in pref erence to adult labor. This proposed amendment is much more effective in its provisions than was either of the previous federal laws that the big interests succeeded in having declared unconstittuional. So it will be in the future. It is needless for the fight against child protection to be carried any further. Ejistory ought to prove this fact. I Those who wanted to employ children in preference to adults, fought every effort the state made . to enact child labor laws until the federal government took a hand. Then these same fellows turned to. state laws, in an effort to avert the enactment of federal laws. Federal laws were passed, two of them. The first was declared un , constitutional by 'five' men, thus set f ting aside the action of both houses of congress and the president of the United States. The second law was then enacted, more1 effective than the first. This, too, was set aside. Now comes a proposition much more effective than either of the others, showing clearly that Ameri ca intends to protect its childhood, and every time the plan is hindered a still more effective course is adopt ed. Senator Simmons ought to receive a large number of telegrams within I the next 48 hours, and he ought to be told that the citizens of North Carolina—the majority of them— are in favor of this amendment, and he ought to be guided by the senti ment of his state, and he ought to vote for the amendment. ~ TEXTILE WORKERS WILL RESIST EFFORTS TO REDUCE WAGES V (Continued from Page One.) ness and conditions. For many months the textile' mills have been curtailing, running only a very small part of the time. This 1 long slack period has resulted in depleting the savings of the textile workers. Now it happens, as it has hap pened in the past under similar conditions, that many mills have announced the'lr intention of re ducing wages of the textile work ers when full time operations are resumed. This reduction in wages is not only wrong, but is an outrage. We do not intend to tamely sub mit to it. If necessary, we are going to use our only weapon against any reduction in wages. If, after we have been idle so long through no fault of ours, and our standards of living have been reduced, then to accept a reduced pay would mean that we wctild be forced to abandon all hope cf ever regaining our losses, as any reduction from the already small wages paid us would make it impossible for us to ever enjoy a decent standard of living. Wages in all other trades are on the upward trend. Why should our wages be reduced? Now in the event we are forced to use our economical power in some section, or in many sections, we do not believe, the public will look upon us as radicals or bolshe viki, but as citizens of the com munity resisting an injustice/lhat if allowed to be perpetuated would hurt not only the workers but all the business men our workers deal with. To the merchants we make this further appejal: Study well the people who sup port your business. Is it the man ufacturer? • Not much! Wo workers are the ones who make your business go, and if we are forced to use our only weapon— 5-Piece Living Room Suite, $129.50 The home that radiate® cheer must of itself radiate comfort and happiness. A living room suite like this is conducive of all these important essentials. * FIVE PIECES-—overstuffed settee, rocker, club chair, ottoman and end table. Beautiful cut velour or tapestry covering in unique patterns and colors. Marshall springs, webbed bottom, mahogany frames, substantially built for lifetime use. FIVE PIECES ONLY_____ $129.50 11. ..a s S. College St. Brunswick Phonographs and Records Phone 364 SOUTHERN RAILWAY SYSTEM Announces Special Reduced Fares - To SPARTANBURG, S. C. S' ' ' • . . Account Spartanburg Music Festival May 7-8-9, 1924 Special reduced fares on basis one and one-half fares for the round trip, open to the public. TICKETS ON SALE MAY 5, 6, ANDj 7, FINAL RETURN LIMIT MAY 10, 1924. The Philadelphia Festival Orchestra of Philadel phia has been secured. Also the^ World’s most famous Artists for the entire occasion. The Converse College Choral Society consisting of 400 voices, the famous children’s chorus consisting of. 500 voices fron^ tfle public schools. For detailed informiation as to fares,, schedules, etc., call on nearest Southern. Railway System Ticket Agent, or address: R. H. GRAHAM, Division Passenger Agent, Charlottei, N. C. " ' the withdrawal of our labor from the industry-—to resist this threat* ened cut in; pay, the merchants should stand by us in our efforts to be able to resist - a starvation' wage, which would also result in dull business. This jalso applies to the profes-' sional men with whom we deal. It should also appeal to the v newspapers, whose circulation lists bear our names. And finally, it should apipeal to all man and women, who love justice, and right, and honesty, and who believe in the teachings of the Bible. It is our sincere wish that* all; trouble may be averted, yet it is likely that trouble will be exper ienced, and we wanted to state our case plainly and frankly* •'which we have now done. The meeting was presided over hy Vice President Jones, in the absence of President James P. Barrett. Del egate Ballard, of Huntersville, open ed the meeting with prater. Delegate Johnson, of Rock Hif, made an. interesting report, stating that the Highland Park mill of Ro<ik Hill runs one week and then stands idle one week. Because of the un satisfactory conditions existing in Rock Hall, Hr. Johnson said,- tl$ workers are rapidly turning to tl!& union, recognizing in it the only avenue of relief for, the workers. Another Rock Hill man, Mr. Alex ander, made some timely remarks, fit was reported that although thb Rock Hill mill stands idle half the time, and more than half in some' instances, the workers are called upon to pay full house rent ,and other living charges put upon ti#m by the mill owners. j- rf i Re-ports from all the centers show ed the period of curtailment is gen eral, . with some exceptions. F&w Creek is running day and night, wad has not curtailed at all. Several other /places made similar reports. Another resolution presented brought forth much discussion^ 1 It was an absolutely new thought, and. has for its purpose a campaign to' offset the activities of the paid labor agents of the mills who go about over the country seeking new fam ilies to bring to the nulls of. the Carolinas. One great obstacle j in the way vof the advancement of the" textile workers is declared to be the over-supply of labor the mill com panies always keep about. The res olution, or recommendation, was tabled for one month, and was or dered to be a special order of busi ness at the next regular meeting to ’be held in Lexington, N. C. This proposition is as follows: I recommend the creation of a fund that will bear the expenses of missionaries to go through the great mountain regions of the Carolinas, and across ' the plains’ of the lowlands, and carry the truthful message of the textile workers to all those people from whom, the employers draw their over-supply of labpor. At all sea sons or the year the manufactur ers send their paid 'agent* into every nook and corner and pre vail upon the people to jleave their homes and come to the mills. Rosy pictures of good pay, elec tric lights, running water, mov ing pictures, community houses, ' athletics, churches and schools, are drawn by those paid agents and held up to the view of the people on the hill and , in the vain. As a result of this constant work, there is a steady stream of people leaving the farm and En tering an already over-crowded industry. It makes no difference about ^he dissatisfaction after the rude awakening for the family 1*"' in the mill village, and there they stay, for it is seldom they have sufficient funds to leave and Ire turn to their former abode and resume their old occupations, s1] In every mill village there are families who came to those Ivil Iages just as described. They l&ve < the names and addresses of all £tkeT' people in their respective nejgb— borhoods. With this to’ Work from, families who would li&ejjy come to the mills can be reached, ! and the actu&l truth given t£em about prevailing conditions, |g(d this would put an and to the Con stant stream of people entering the textile industry. Of cotAae, the benefits to those already in^t|to </ industry can be seen at a glance, i Secretary T. E, Reid was \ tm [ avoidably detained, and James , T-.; [Robertson was acting secretary; of the session. A telegram was received from Concord stating ARb workers there are not going to submit- to any reduction in wages with js. *re-: 3umjJtion of. operation of the mills. Reports of manufacturers who are working with their employees during this dull business period, sharing j their part of the losses like ’men, i and making the period as easy' as possible oh the workers, were made by some of the delegates. The, wish was expressed that all manufaciur i ers would do likewise. | James T. Robertson and President j C. P. Barringer made short address es which were thoroughly enjoye|. The next meeting will be held in. Lexington on the last Saturday in May, the business meeting at 4 o’clock in .the afternoon and the | open meeting at 8 o’clock in the evening. Vote For School Bead* May 6th ; .j The retail food index issued by the LFnitedj States Department of Labor through the Bureau of Labor* Statistics shows that^here was a de ' crease of 1 per cent in the retail ,i cost of food in February, 1924, as^ compared with January, 1924. | WHY NOT USE YOUR CREDIT HERE? IT COSTS NOTHING MORE Just As You Want to Pay YOU CAN BUY STYLISH CLOTHING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR MEN! SUITS, TOP COATS THAT PUT YOU IN THE FRONT RANK OF THOSE DRESSED THE BEST FOR WOMEN! Smart Swagger The Newest Model COATS SUITS Stunning Millinery Mutually Agreeable Pleasing CREDIT PAY AS YOU GO ALONG! ZEB WEAVER, LORD BLESS HIM, SPEAKS (Continued From Page One.) of children in industry, but is based upon otheaf grounds sincerely and honestly entertained by him. “A compelling interest, however, in adequate laws for the purpose of controlling the employment of im mature children in hazardous and burdensome occupations, prompted me to vote to submit to the several states an amendment to the consti tution that would confer upon Con gress this power. It has twice un dertaken to exercise this power with a feeling that such power was al ready vested in Congress. On two separate occasions has congress 'acted upon this nation-wide subject. “I may point to my democratic colleagues that one of the acts was passed by a democratic congress, President Wilson strongly urged and advocated such a measure. It was to him a magna eharta for the child hood of the republic. At the time of signing this act, President Wilson Said: “ ‘I want to say that with real emotion I sign this bill because I know *how long the struggle has been to secure legislation of this sort and what it is going to mean to the health and to the vigor of this country, and also to the happiness of those whom it affects. It is with genuine pride that I play my part in completing this legislation. I con jjgratulate the country and felicitate myself.’ Nation'Wide Demand. “Again the congress, {responsive to an apparent nation-wide demand for child labor legislation, in the revenue act of 1919, enacted that any manufacturing establishment employing children under 14 years of age or employing children be tween 14 and 16 years of age for more than eight hours a. day or working them at night, should pay a tax of 10 per cent upon gross pro duction of their ihines and factories. This act was also declared uncon stitutional. “Both of those cases originated in my own state of North Carolina, and in one of them my present dis tinguished colleague, Mr. Hammer, who was then district attorney of the United States, was made a party and prepared and argued *the case in support of the statue. “I cite these former acts of Con-1 gress and those decisions of our su preme court for the purpose of showing 4 national desire for action by the Congress of the United States upon this subject. Both acts of Congress, that of 1916 and that of 1919, apparently met Mrith a wide Wide approval of the people.” Mr. Weaver continued: “This amendment proposes mere ly to confer upon the Congress, definitely and certainly, but with the approval of three-fourths of the states of the union the power to legislate on a subject in regard to which it was already thought Con gress had sufficient power. This amendment- proposes nothing more than to settle definitely the question of the employment of young child ren in gainful occupations and to regulate the hours of employment to minors under 18.” Mr. Weaver analyzed the pending proposition, and gave a history of the movement against child labor. He made a strong argument for the amendment, and said such legisla tion had become a necessity. Position of Locke Craig. , He declared: “North Carolina has had many re markable governors. Among these in the latter years w>as Governor Locke Craig. He now resides in my home city of Asheville. Hei was a great governor. In addition to a keen and discriminating intellect, he is a man of as noble a heart as I have ever known. He was govern or of North Carolina when its leg islature convened in 1915. HJe had seen something of the struggle of children. He had seen the effect of laying upon immature boys and girls the destroying hand of grinding toil. I do not mean by this that children should not work; that they should not do ordinary duties that come to them around the household or upon the farm; that they should not be trained to work, but I refer to the ‘hired man of 14 years of Age,’ the- boys and girls whose youth is denied them. Governor Craig has observed the blighting hand of toil upon children. And in January, 1915, he delivered a message to the general, assembly of that state. In this message he called the attention of the legislature to the child labor problem, and he used this language: “ ‘The factory is no place for the child. The drudgery of toil is not his rightful inheritance before , his bones are hard and his muscles are firm’. If we grind the seed corn there will be a failure in the crop of men.’ “Some have asked us if they do not work, "how shall they live, but Governor Craig answered* that in this same great message: , “ ‘If, in our most progressive cen ters of industry ''and thrift^ the fam ily cannot live without the work of children and the drudgery of wo men, then oqr civilization has brok en down and is a failure.’ “It is true that in this message Governor Craig was directing him self to a state legislature, and it is no part of my purpose to commit him to a statement in fav'Or of a constitutional amendment. He was eager that his own state should meet this problem, but l do know that the heart of thif great man goes out for childhood every where, whether in North Carolina or in New ¥©yk or in California or the remotest con fines of the nation. t Protection, of Childhood. “The protection of childhood is in my judgment a national problem. It may be that the states can and will abundantly take care of it. It is true that thei states have made much progress. My own state of North Carolina has done much. In 1915 the provisions for child labor were meagre and insufficient, but due to the efforts of Governor Craig and other forward looking men and women of the state, those laws have* been vastly improved. I do not advocate this amendment because I believe that my own state is a great offender. That more or less adequate’,. legislation has been, adoptr ed has been due in no small part to the manufacturers themselves. “North Carolina is today in my opinion in? more respects than one the first state in the American union. “I have' heard it said that this amendment is ^or the purpose of de priving North Carolina and other states of an advantage which, they have made in the manner of em ployment. I deny "most vigorously, if such be the-idea, that the growth of North Carolina has Seen built upon the labor of immature and un developed children. This amend ment is national in its scope upon the broad ground that childhood it self is national. .It would seem natural therefore to conclude that the general government might well be invested with legislative powers that would protect if necessary' the children who are so sqon to take our places in the great duties of life. L" “As Governor Craig so well said: ‘If you grind the seed corn there will be a famine - in the crop of men.’ ” Vote For School Bonds May 6th \ SELL SHORT. WEIGHT BREAD v/Dayton, Ohio, April 26. — City , officials have discovered that short weight bread is sold in this city. The [aw seems very considerate in these case’s. Before the petty larceny mercaqts can be punished they they must ,be cited to appear at ;he state-' capital. BUILDING AND LO^N Through Building and Loan you tan SAVE, BtJY or BUILD a homo. No better plan known for either, SERIES NOW OVEN. MECKLENBURG BUILDING & LOAN ASSOCIATION C. H. Robinson, Pres. 3d W. FIFTH ST. A. O. Craig, Sec-Trcas The Health of the School Children Can best be safeguarded by giving them the purest food. All sensible people agree that LANCE QUALITY PEANUT BUTTER Is the purest, most wholesome, nutritious peanut butter made. * v ■ • 1 . ,|r*' ** Children like it—ahd it’s goot for the children. I Ask your grocer for LANCE QUALITY PEANUT BUTTER Made right here in Charlotte by The Lance Paddna^£pmiiany 1
The Charlotte Herald (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 2, 1924, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75