The political process and the failure of the Child Labor Amendment

Using the proposed Child Labor Amendment of 1924 as an example of family policy, this article analyzes the reasons for its failure to be ratified in a Massachusetts referendum. This failure had much to do with its later nonacceptance in other states. The discussion begins with the Congressional hearings and the arguments for and against the amendment. The following description of the movement for its ratification in the states and the Massachusetts referendum focuses on the factors involved in the outcome of the political process. After a summary of the political campaign leading to the amendment's loss, the article concludes with its implications for present-day family policy initiatives.