The question of proper regulation -and control of children employed to labor is one of intense and absorbing interest to any one who will stop long enough to give the subject consideration. In the proper care and training, in the preservation of the health, the morals and the intellectual capacity of the child, is centered very largely the whole question of national growth, of national strength and of the permanency of our institutions. It means but little to enact good laws unless men have grown to the full stature of citizenship and are prepared to apply and enforce them, and the way to have good citizens is properly to care for the training and development of the child. But I think the states ought to assume the burden of this work. Aside from the constitutional question which we may for the present put aside, it is essentially a matter with which the states have to deal. A question should only be national in matters of legislation when it is national in fact. If there is any question that ought to be kept close at home and as nearly a domestic affair as possible so far as the state is concerned, it is the training and caring for and protecting the child. Different states require different laws. While certain general propositions will apply everywhere, the detailed application of them will be much modified by the conditions in the different states. I am very much in favor, therefore, of the states becoming thoroughly active in this matter as individual commonwealths. I think too much stress cannot be laid upon the necessity of the states assuming at least their portion of this work. It seems to me that it is well within the province of the national government to gather the data and the information. In other words, that the national government has a perfect right to investigate