Whenever people nowadays see photos of kids working in the mines and factories in the early 20th century, the response is usually disgust. Child labor was a serious issue at that time—but one our nation largely resolved with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which prevented companies from employing children in dangerous jobs. This is one of those laws that I just assumed everyone supported. In fact, most people do support its provisions—except, apparently, Republican lawmakers. Apparently, when confronted with old photos of child laborers, they see only a solution to our current labor shortage.
