"No" on Child Labor Amendment, Aug. 23, 1924

Child Labor Amendment Falls by Wayside After Stiff Fight Last Night. . . Vote in House Swamped Measure Under 86 to 7 Tide Last Night. . . Everett Fights. . . Claims that Provision for Presentment of Amendment Must be Affirmative. . . Bill Came Too Late. . . Morrison Should Have Presented It Before Assembly Was Ready to Adjourn, So That It Could Have Been Given Proper Consideration, Is Claim—State Law Passed Thursday Because Pressed by Federal Amendment

By the Associated Press

Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 22—The proposed amendment to the federal constitution relating to the employment of minors under the age of 18 years was rejected by the North Carolina legislature tonight. A resolution rejecting the proposed measure was adopted by the house in a Viva Voce vote of 86 to 7. The resolution previously had been adopted by the senate.

The viva voce vote immediately followed the second reading of the resolution on which the vote was 86 to 7 in favor of rejection. The senate vote last night was 34 to 4.

The representatives voting against ejection of the amendment were Everett, Jackson, Jenkins, Lewis, Owens, Rideoutte and Wade.

The adoption of the rejection resolution followed a hard fight made by a few members to have the measure postponed until the regular session of the general assembly in January. The plea was based on charges that hasty and ill-considered action was being taken, that labor representatives desired to be heard, and that the presenting of the amendment to the assembly in the form of a rejection resolution instead of a resolution calling for affirmative action was illegal.

The principal plea for delay was made by Representative R.O. Everett of Durham, a former law partner of the late Congressman Claude Kitchin, declared that the constitution of the United States made no provision for presentation of an amendment in a negative resolution but instead provided for affirmative presentation.

. . . .

Mr. Everett declared that throughout the world it was the same, children being exploited by industry. In some of the states which have lax laws and where, he said, dominant forces control children still are being exploited.

“I believe in states’ rights,” he continued, “but we have come to the point where we are no longer distinct and separate states.”

He charged that the amendment to the state child labor law passed yesterday had been forced by the federal amendment and pleased for time “to give the people of the state time to study and go out and see the condition of these children.”

“In killing this amendment,” he concluded, “you give employers of children the chance to exploit them soul and body.”

Representative V.S. Bryant of Durham differed with his colleague. He declared the federal amendment was insidious, taking the control of children out of the hands of their families.

“It goes not only into the factories,” he said, “but strikes at the very heart of the farms.”

. . . .

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Aug. 23, 1924

You can read the rest of the story by going to newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84020730/1924-08-23/ed-1/seq-4/#words=AUGUST+23%2C+1924