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Thursday, February 2, 2023

Take 1.5 School-Aged Children Out of Workforce, Says Secretary of Labor Davis, Feb. 2, 1923

1.5 Million Child Laborers in the United States

An amendment to the federal constitution to enable congress to fix standards that would take a million and a half boys and girls of school age out of the drudgery of mine and mill, field and faculty was recommended by Secretary of Labor Jas. J. Davis in his annual report. Secretary Davis declared that every instinct of humanity prompted the abolition of child labor.

From the front page of The Reidsville Review, Friday, Feb. 2, 1923

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From the Department of Labor website:

Hall of Secretaries

James J. Davis

Tenure: March 5, 1921 to November 30, 1930

Born in Wales; emigrated at age eight to Pennsylvania and went straight to work in the steel mill as a puddler's assistant (he always liked to be called "Puddler Jim"). Active in the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers. A leader in the Loyal Order of the Moose, a fraternal organization.

Appointed by Warren Harding. The major problems of his tenure related to immigration, which was then a DOL responsibility. Established a Border Patrol to reduce flow of illegal aliens, called for restrictions in the number of immigrants. Also, he strengthened labor statistics, encouraged labor-management cooperation and, with support from the iron and steel workers union, persuaded U.S. Steel to abolish the 12-hour work day. He was the only Secretary to serve three Presidents Harding, Coolidge and Hoover.

Went on to serve in the Senate, where he was co-sponsor of the Davis-Bacon Act.

JAMES J. DAVIS

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