Analyzing arguments both pro and con for the
proposed amendment, Alfred E. Smith in the current
month's New Outlook concludes by saying:
Alter caieful, and I may say almost
prayerful, consideration of these arguments
for and against the child labor amendment,
X wish to be recorded in the negative. No
one can accuse me of being callous or in
different about the needs of children. I
won my service stripes in the war against
the exploitation of children many years ago
when there were few enthusiasts and many
powerful opponents. I find it difficult and
distressing to oppose now my loyal comrades
of these early battles. I have, however,
learned in recent years the bitter lessons
of the Eighteenth Amendment. I devoutly
hope that the people of this country will
not permit themselves to be deluded by
sentiment, tricked by false logic, coerced
by minorities, or stampeded by rhetoric, into
a repetition of their recent monumental
folly in attempting to legislate morality into
the United States Constitution. It does not
seem possible that the same States which
are relieving us of the curse of the Eigh
teenth Amendment, will impose another
constitutional curse upon us under the guise
of abolishing child labor.
We believe his reasoning is sound. There can
be no gainsaying that child labor is undesirable
and un-American. Yet its cure lies not in Federal
control of labor, which after all cannot extend
beyond interstate commerce. As Mr. Smith points
out, “It is a matter to be settled by the conscience
and common-sense of each community and not by
Federal statute."
Those who are interested in this issue ought to
concentrate on the so-called backward States and
by education convince them of the necessity as well
as the desirability of abolishing child labor from
industry.
