NEWS WORTH REMEMBERING
News Worth Remembering COME ACROSS with the names, the dates and the specific amounts," was the comment made by Senator La Follette when his attention was called to an article in a Chicago morning...
...Robert M. La Follette...
...Let no threat deter any friend of mine from supporting the resolution to investigate charges of violation of law in connection with • the senatorial primary...
...When Senator Spooner unexpectedly resigned, and Mr...
...It was substantially the same bill that had been before Congress for many years and passed by the preceding Congress, but prevented from becoming law by the veto of President Taft...
...Stephenson's Campaign Contributions," said: "When Mr...
...Young Husband (at the office): Hello, who is it?—Puck...
...I do not recognize money invested in Mr...
...Under the bold-faced title, "America First," are urgent invitations to attend night school, learn English, and become citizens...
...Stephenson" because of "covert threat that Stephenson proposes to tell how he had spent money" in my behalf in former campaigns...
...Stephenson...
...The National Child Labor Committee is urging a federal child labor law and adds to the above statement the note that literature on the federal law, and Child Labor Day will be sent any one who applies to the Committee's Office, 105 East 22d Street, New York City...
...Later when he broke with Payne and Spooner and allied himself with the Progressives, I believed it was from conviction...
...I had assured my friends in the legislature that his promise under no circumstances to be a candidate for the six year term, could be absolutely relied upon...
...Mr...
...This nominated him under the law...
...Each year a new lot of children go to work...
...Stephenson became a candidate for the unexpired term, I supported him notwithstanding his advanced years...
...Large military establishments strongly tend to draw government away from democracy and toward autocracy...
...Recently a mass meeting was held under the auspices of the Public Ownership League of that city...
...If the 8-hour day and no night work in factories were the law for children under 16, another 100,000 children would be affected...
...Otherwise, they would not have voted for the election of a man in his seventy-ninth year, and he could not have been elected for the short term...
...The enlightened people of the present civilization throughout the world, are looking to us to continue the movement for World Peace inaugurated by the thirty peace treaties, and- to show our sincerity and confidence therein by initiating national disarmament...
...Seamen's Law Approved In Pacific Port THE "kept press" of the country, serving the shipping interests, have assiduously spread the impression that the people of the Pacific Coast condemn the Seamen's Law because it is expected to "drive American shipping off the high seas...
...Therefore...
...Evidently, disqualifying charges when formally made, should be investigated before electing the candidate...
...If the charges in this instance are not proven every Republican member of the legislature is bound to vote for Mr...
...It was not a hastily prepared and inadequately considered measure...
...Suddenly the station-master appeared, and, approaching one of the most vigorous baggage-bashing porters, shouted in stern tones: "Here, what do you mean by throw ing those trunks about like that...
...Washington, D. C, Feb...
...The Census of 1910 found 1,990,225 children between 10 and 16 at work in this country...
...La Follette's presidential campaign, declined the alluring suggestion that he might be a "maker of presidents" as was Mark Hanna.' "It was against my expressed wish that Mr...
...Every legitimate argument that is being made against it now was made against it then, but the necessity for legislation to remedy the defects referred to," being of the highest importance and the arguments in support of this particular bill, so far outweighed those of the opposition, the present Congress passed it again, and it was signed by the President...
...That is, more than 50,000 children are at work in the United States contrary to the primary standards of child labor legislation...
...Crass Carelessness The holiday traffic was at its height, and there were the usual piles of passengers' luggage on the platform of a great London terminus...
...A close observer of public opinion in Washington writes, "Were the question submitted to a vote of the people, the Seamen's Law would meet with the approval of a vast majority of the voters of this state...
...Surely America is agreed that child labor is not consistent with her ideals...
...Stephenson, then identified with the old political machine, used his money and influence for six years against the reform movement, but that did not affect our personal relations...
...We do this with the hope that we may in some measure contribute toward bringing you to a realization that the brazen misrepresentations employed in support of the efforts referred to are not going unchallenged by the hosts of democracy...
...The passengers pinched themselves to make sure that they were not dreaming, but they returned to earth when the official added: "Can't you see you're making big dents in the concrete platform...
...I did so because I believed he was right on all the great public questions and because I believed his legislative experience and business insight equipped him to serve out acceptably the unexpired term...
...The penalty for certain violations of the Corrupt Practice Act is disqualification for holding office...
...Stephenson was asked to contribute to my presidential campaign expenses, as I thought if he wished to give, he would do so without solicitation...
...If a 14-year age limit in factories and 16-year limit in mines were enforced throughout the country more than 50,000 children would immediately be eliminated from industry...
...The meeting was attended by about 2,500 persons, who came to hear Andrew Furuseth explain the provisions of the Seamen's Law...
...As the posters will be hung in conspicuous places it is to be hoped that by means of this pictorial and written invitation immigrants will have their attention called to the night schools of their oommunities...
...The committee, in charge, however, considered it proper to make the same request of him, and to give him the same opportunity to contribute, which they gave to others, believed to be interested...
...It is because these things are so and we in America are apt to forget them, that we ask our friends to observe Child Labor Day and remind the country that child labor in the United States is a live, pressing issue...
...What Started the Quarrel Young Wife (at home): Hello, dear-est...
...To remedy these two defects in our antiquated navigation laws the Seamen's Bill was passed...
...But listen to the voice of the people of Seattle, Washington—one of the great Pacific Coast ports...
...When the contest came on in Wisconsin a decade later, Mr...
...The manufactured sentiment for preparedness, so garishly spread over the pages of our metropolitan press, is not indicative of public sentiment, but rather of selfish interest...
...Investigation has shown that there are in this country 3,000,000 foreign-born whites, ten years and over, who are unable to read or even speak English...
...On February 9, 1909, from "Washington, I specifically called upon Senator Stephenson to specifically state the exact amounts contributed to each of my personal campaigns, either to me or to anyone authorized to receive such contributions...
...News Worth Remembering COME ACROSS with the names, the dates and the specific amounts," was the comment made by Senator La Follette when his attention was called to an article in a Chicago morning paper in which Ex-Senator Stephenson of Marinette in an autobiography which he has just issued charges that he lavished money op Senator La Follette to carry out his Progressive campaigns in Wiscon-consin...
...In their communication to the President, these men of Allegheny County set forth that— "We are at peace with the world and under the continuance of the wise diplomatic policy of the Administration, which has thus far been most successful, and with the great nations of the earth exhausted by strife, there is little or no danger threatening from abroad...
...Stephenson's paper editorially says, 'Mr...
...The National Child Labor Committee realizing that these questions will be asked has issued the following explanatory statement: "Child Labor Day is a reminder...
...To this challenge no statement was ever made by Senator Stephenson...
...The reflection on your intelligence and sincerity implied by the suggestion that you might be misled by such transparent misrepresentations on the part of corporation mendicants and their 'Kept Press' deters us from offering argument in refutation of the pretended conclusions drawn from these two incidents...
...We assert that among the things back of the attack on the Seamen's Law is the hope of securing through such attack the long-sought subsidy graft and the final defeat of the proposition for government ownership of any part of the Merchant Marine...
...He aided the cause by his contributions to campaign expenses, and advanced it by establishing a newspaper in support of the principles for which the Progressive element in the party was contending...
...Stephenson's newspaper as contributions to my personal cam...
...The present European conflict is proof positive that enormous military establishments are not guarantors of Peace and Prosperity...
...There are still states in the Union where children 9 or 10 years old may be found at work in mills...
...The 22d, 23rd, and 24th of January will be Child Labor Days, the National Child Labor Committee announces...
...Saturday will be observed by synagogues, Sunday by churches and Sunday Schools, and Monday by secular schools and clubs, and if last years' record means anything, at least 9,000 organizations all over this country may be expected to recognize the day...
...and that where there is any considerable number of immigrants and no night schools the poster may inspire the authorities in these communities to establish such schools...
...Tit-Bits...
...In the forgeround of the poster "Uncle Sam" is represented as grasping the hand of an immigrant working man, while in the background is seen a residence, a public school, and a naturalization judge handing "citizen's papers" to an immigrant...
...Sensational Madison dispatch published here today says that ray friends "will vote against proposed investigation of Mr...
...In the usual way, the porters were banging it about, while the owners mournfully looked on...
...A memorial was presented to this mass meeting and was adopted unanimously by a rising vote—at least not a voice was raised when the negative was called for...
...Stephenson and I served together in Congress twenty-five years ago, his sturdy pioneer character won my personal regard...
...More than one-half of these immigrants are unable to read of Write in any language...
...Child Labor Day—Why...
...Stephenson, however, became a candidate to succeed himself, and secured a plurality of the vote at the primary...
...And fur-ther that our foreign diplomatic pol-icy be based upon the policy of the thirty peace treaties, expressing our firm conviction in the ultimate triumph of the doctrine that 'Right makes Might.'" America First The Department of the Interior, through its Bureau of Education, has issued a lithographed poster, 30 by 20 inches in size, which is being sent to the various post offices, public schools, and industrial establishments of the country, urging immigrants to educate themselves for American citizenship...
...There are still states Where the child of 12 may work 11 hours a day...
...Now to give apparent stibstance to the argument that the law would destroy the American Merchant Marine we witness the sale of one line of trans-Pacific steamers on the pretense that such sale was forced and the vessels taken from the Pacific Ocean as a result of the more onerous conditions that are to be imposed on the owners by the application of this law—as if the law were to apply only on the Pacific—and the threatened transfer of another line to a foreign flag...
...It must be apparent to all that when the laws regulating any calling virtually make slaves of the men engaged therein, the effect is bound to be that most, if not all, intelligent and self-respecting men will be driven therefrom, thus not only lowering the efficiency, but degrading the calling...
...Stephenson state fully and specifically the exact amounts contributed to each of my personal campaigns either to me or to anyone authorized to receive such contributions...
...There are still states where the education of a child under 14 is not compulsory...
...paign...
...But he was charged with having violated the statute prohibiting corrupt practices in elections...
...We have a strong sentiment in this country against the exploitation of children, but, perhaps for the very reason that our sentiment is strong— so strong as to make it hard to believe child labor can exist in America —we have never taken the decisive steps to end once for all the labor of children...
...We deny that the maintenance of a Merchant Marine depends either upon the perpetuation of human slavery on the part of seamen or the reckless sacrifice of human life in the case of passengers or crew, and we call upon you, our law-making authorities, to pass the necessary law to enable our government to lead the way in demonstrating this fact to the privilege-seekers and their 'Kept Press' by the establishment of a number of lines of merchant vessels to be owned and operated by and in the Interest solely of the public...
...9, 1909...
...Why have a Child Labor Day...
...Single Taxers Oppose "Preparedness" An appeal to President Wilson not to accept a program of military preparedness calling for large expenditures" for the army and navy has been made by the Single Tax Club of Pittsburgh...
...I should be glad to have Mr...
...Both statutes must be construed together...
...Will the citizens of the United States never take concerted action against this waste of children...
...These invitations, with brief sentences setting forth the advantages of such action, are given in English and in six immigrant languages, viz.: Italian, Polish, Yiddish, Lithuanian, Bohemian, and Hungarian...
...But why...
...A dispatch published in Washington, February 12th, states that Mr...
...His contributions were, I supposed, freely given and were so accepted and appreciated...
...This is a part of a more comprehensive plan for preparing immigrants for American life and citizenship...
...Here is the memorial: "In view of the frantic efforts now being put forth by privilege-seeking interests and their 'Kept Press' to discredit what has come to be known as the La Follette Seamen's Law, even in advance of its going into operation, with the avowed purpose of securing its repeal before it has been fairly tested, we call your attention to a brief summary of facts...
...we declare with all the strength and sincerity of our several characters that increased ex-penditures for the army and navy are most unwise and very dangerous to the world wide movement toward democracy, and that the part of wisdom lies in devoting the energies of the nation to our internal problems of injustice which are undermining our strength, and far more threaten-ing than any foreign foe...
...In La Follette's Weekly of February 20, 1909, Senator La Follette under the caption of "Mr...
...That the public may fully understand my attitude in the matter of his investigation and my call upon Senator Stephenson to make known these amounts in 1909, I give you a copy of the, telegram...
...We trust it is unnecessary to dwell upon the wrongs imposed upon common sailors of all countries, and especially those of the United States, in the past in consequence of the iniquitous laws relating to seamen, once they signed for a voyage until their return to their home port...
...Stephenson although contributing to Mr...
...And by an almost unanimous vote substantially this same memorial was adopted by a Well attended meeting of the King County Democratic club, the largest organization of the Democratic party in the state of Washington...
...They were at no time excessive in comparison with the contributions in time, in money, and in sacrifice of business interests, made by many disinterested men in the long struggle to restore government to the people in Wisconsin...
...A. W. Sanborn, State Senate, Madison Wisconsin...
...Neither should it be necessary to direct your attention to the fearful loss of life resulting from recent disasters at sea in consequence of insufficient life-saving apparatus and the want of seamen skilled in the handling and manning of the same...
...The Corrupt Practice Act applies to primary elections as well as to general elections...
...Each year a new lot leave school too soon, go to work too blindly, work too long hours...
...I could not have supported him as a candidate for the six year term, even though his record of service during the short term had been perfectly consistent...
Vol. 7 • November 1915 • No. 11
