Keating-Owen Act
Encyclopedia
The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 also known as Wick's Bill, was a statute
enacted by the U.S. Congress which sought to address the perceived evils of child labor
by prohibiting the sale in interstate commerce of goods manufactured by children in the United States, thus giving an expanded importance to the constitutional clause giving Congress the task of regulating interstate commerce. The bill was named for its sponsors, Edward Keating
and Robert Latham Owen. It was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson
(who had lobbied heavily for its passage) in 1916, but in Hammer v. Dagenhart
, 247 U.S. 251
(1918), the Act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States
(see also Lochner era
).
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
enacted by the U.S. Congress which sought to address the perceived evils of child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
by prohibiting the sale in interstate commerce of goods manufactured by children in the United States, thus giving an expanded importance to the constitutional clause giving Congress the task of regulating interstate commerce. The bill was named for its sponsors, Edward Keating
Edward Keating
Edward Keating was a U.S. Representative from Colorado.Born on a small farm near Kansas City, Kansas, Keating moved with his mother to Pueblo, Colorado, in 1880.He moved to Denver in 1889.He attended the public schools....
and Robert Latham Owen. It was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
(who had lobbied heavily for its passage) in 1916, but in Hammer v. Dagenhart
Hammer v. Dagenhart
Hammer v. Dagenhart, 247 U.S. 251 , was a United States Supreme Court decision involving the power of Congress to enact child labor laws...
, 247 U.S. 251
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1918), the Act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(see also Lochner era
Lochner era
The Lochner era is a period in American legal history in which the Supreme Court of the United States tended to strike down laws held to be infringing on economic liberty or private contract rights, and takes its name from a 1905 case, Lochner v. New York. The beginning of the period is usually...
).