The Sisseton Weekly Standard

SOCIAL WELFARE
BILLS ADVOCATED
Congress to Be Asked to Promote Nation's Progress.

CHILDLABOR MEASURE READY
Convict Labor, Tuberculosis and Immigrant Protection Demand Special Attention--Welfare of the People Is One of the Most Important Methods of Preparation.

The importance in connection with "preparedness" of a number of pieces of legislation which are aimed to better the nation's condition and facilitate its progress along both commercial and social lines and which are to be submitted to congress along with the plans for increased armament is emphasized by Graham Romeyn Taylor in a statement issued by the Survey Social Service Press service.

"Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute," is a slogan that once served to stir the nation to vigilance in the protection of its rights," says Mr. Taylor. "A question which confronts congress is the relation of possible millions for defense to the social welfare of the nation's people. Surely the countries of Europe have come to realize that in equipping themselves for war the welfare of their people is by no means the least factor.

"Failure to secure early consideration of bills was one of the chief reasons for the disappointing results in social legislation before the last congress. The Palmer-Owen child labor bill, for instance, passed the house, but the objection of a single senator killed it in the upper chamber. The second campaign for the bill is now going forward with vigor in the hands of the national child labor committee.

Child Labor Bill.

"The bill prohibits interstate commerce of goods in the production of which children under fourteen have worked in mills, factories, canneries or workshops; children under sixteen have worked in mines or quarries; children between fourteen and sixteen have worked at night or more than eight hours a day in factories.

"Another measure designed to regulate the conditions under which goods are manufactured through federal authority over interstate commerce is the bill concerning the products of convict labor. A state may regulate its own convict labor, but it cannot bar convict made goods coming in from another state. The Booher-Hughes bill, as it was known at the last session, has passed the house four times. A year ago it was favorably reported by the senate committee, but never came to a vote.

"The new bill will provide for a commissioner of prisons, in whose office would be concentrated all of the activities with the duties of investigating administration, housing and social hygiene of prisoners, educational methods for their rehabilitation, systems of pardon and parole.

"Health measures before the next congress will include the bill to create a division of mental hygiene and rural sanitation in the public health service, which was considered last year; a bill to create a commission for the study of tuberculosis and a bill to provide federal subsidies for local tuberculosis hospitals.

Would Combat Tuberculosis.

"The plan for a federal commission on tuberculosis has been indorsed by four sectional conferences on tuberculosis and the American Public Health association. They point out that last year, while $15,000,000 was spent in the United States for institutional care and treatment, less than $2,000,000 was spent in the entire preventive campaign. They cite the success of Dr. Gorgas in eradicating yellow fever in Cuba and urge that if tuberculosis is attacked similarly by the federal government the next decade will see as marked reduction in the mortality from tuberculosis as we have already seen in smallpox and yellow fever.

"Industrial measures are expected to include those before the last congress and several new ones. Among the recommendations of the commission on industrial relations, those which will be pushed are probably indicated in the announcement made by Chairman Frank P. Walsh, who laid emphasis on the need for a federal law, or, if necessary, a constitutional amendment limiting the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional; for an act prohibiting interstate shipment of armed guards, machine guns and other similar weapons except when consigned to the military authorities of the state or nation, and for an act requiring the federal trade commission to consider as unfair competition the exploitation of labor through long hours, low wages, unsafe or insanitary conditions.

"Several other bills modifying the immigration law are expected to come up. Some of these deal with a situation created by the war and provide for letting down the bars to Belgian and other refugees who come to America because of military conquest of their countries. Another effort is expected to extend to all Asiatics the present exclusion laws against Chinese labor.