Joseph McKenna

“ The statute of the state which is assailed provides that no child or woman shall be employed in laboring in any manufacturing or mechanical establishment more than ten hours in any one day, except as hereinafter provided in this section, unless a different apportionment of the hours of labor is made for the sole purpose of making a shorter day's work for one day of the week, and in no case shall the hours of labor exceed fifty-six in a week. ”

“ The prohibition of the statute under review, it is said, 'is not restricted to times and places which relate to and naturally and logically affect a woman's health, safety, or morals, or the welfare of herself or the public.' Such are the conditions necessary to the validity of a statute restricting employment, it is contended, and that those conditions are not satisfied by the statute. ”

“ The employment of such persons at any time other than as stated in said printed notice shall be deemed a violation of the provisions of this section,' punishable by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $100.
The first contention of plaintiff in error is that the statute restricts the right to sell and buy labor, and therein infringes the liberty of contract assured by article 14 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. ”