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Show COIICTS PLACED ABOVE CHILDREN Washington, Oct. 18. "Convicts we protect; children we exploit.' Secretary Secre-tary Owen R. Lovejoy of the National Child Labor commlttco pointed out yesterday that the action of congress in incorporating in the new tariff the clause which bars from import the products of convict labor, and omit ting the sister clause which referred to child labor, is In line with popular policy hitherto. In more than one state the eight hour day was established estab-lished for adults in prison workrooms before it was decreed for children in factories. At the suggestion of the National Child Labor committee. Senator Bor ah last June proposed to exclude from importation all goods made by work ers under 14 years of age. The amendment amend-ment was favorably reported by the senate finance committee and at once a storm of protest and derision arose Importers declared with more fervor than logic that 6uch a law would ruin their business and that it would be Impossible of enforcement For the first time the National Child Labor committee found Its policy endorsed by the organs of the American textile trade The foreign press scented a plot of American employers and denounced de-nounced us as a nation of hypocrits. Congress heeded the clamor and after af-ter mutilating the amendment beyond recognition putting out its eyes with an adverb and drawing its teeth with exemptions they killed It entirely on the final vote. When Mr Lovejoy was asked whe ther he was greatly disappointed by the failure of the child labor amendment, amend-ment, he said: "In one way, I am. But I feel that the incident has brought to popular attention throe things, which need to be recognized and which ought to shame the nation into making more rapid advance against child labor "In the f irat place, the seusltlvo American conscience can contemplate In peace the youngsters in American cotton mills and canneries without fear of being reproached for interest in children elsewhere The nation is saved from the charge of hypocrisy; hypocri-sy; it accepts child labor ,:Then. too, the rights of business are vindicated The market is open to all factory products. We can enjoy en-joy our silks from Japan, our burlans from India, our diverse objects 'Made in Germany' and our textiles from Lancastershire with the comfortable assurance that no vagaries of Amerl can reformers have hindered foreign business. "And lastly. In spite of the precc dence given to business over the claims of childhood, the prohibition of convict goods does mark a new step in International commerce It eBtabllsheB the claim of social conditions condi-tions upon International regulation and makes Inevitable ultimately the world-wide prohibition of child labor." la-bor." oo |