The Children's Amendment

The proposed Amendment to the Constitution, giving Congress power to limit, regulate and prohibit the labor of persons under 18 years of age, hung on in the Senate. The House had approved it. The Senate was expected to approve it -- if it could be brought to a vote.

The last qualification seemed remote of fulfillment ; every time a Senator asked for consent to consider the Amendment, another Senator objected. Then Senator Shortridge of California gained consent for its consideration. His victory was not unopposed, but he was victor in a verbal sparring match and a date was set for a vote. At once Senators began to debate the measure on the floor. Senator Wadsworth of New York was one of the leaders of the opposition. Said he:

"It goes farther in extending the power of the Federal Government than the 18th Amendment. I think it will do more to change the form of our government than any amendment since those that followed soon after the Civil War.

"Continuing at the pace we have followed for the last 20 years, we shortly will establish an imperial Government whose territory will consist of provinces instead of sovereign States. We are whittling at the structure framed by the founders of this Government and if we whittle long enough we will destroy it."

The Bible was freely quoted: "Six days shalt thou labor". . ."The laborer is worthy of his hire". . . "If any offend the least of these, better would it be if a millstone were hanged around his neck and he were drowned in the sea."

Senator Bayard of Delaware suggested that the author of the last quotation had worked as a carpenter at at the age of twelve and without evil result.

When the vote was taken, the amendment was passed, as had been expected. The vote was 61 to 23, five more than the two-thirds necessary in such a case. The measure now goes to the states. If three-fourths of them approve it, it will become the 20th Amendment.