Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-23
SCOPE 0| NE WORK
President Of the Mothers Congress
Tells Convention Of the Asso.
ciation's Work.
Outline Of the Aims and Objects
Of the CongressThe Pro.
ceedings.
Several Interesting Reports Made
and a Number Of Important
Papers Read.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, May 23.-NIrs. Theodore
w. Birney. president of the Mothers
Congress, in her address yesterday
afternoon on the Power of Organized
Motherhood to Benefit Humanity, out
| lined the work OF the Mothers Con-
gress. which, among other things, she
| said, was laboring to establish free kim
! Idergartens, restrict child labor, secure
lsshorter hours for women, better wages
for women teachers, to uplift the drama
1 and purify the press, which, she said,
was the greatesAI material power in the
world today, and to teach the response
| bilities of sex. Tine good Of the race,
she SAIL. demands that children shall
be prepared for parentage. The con-
grass has established free reading
rooms, has aided in putting women on
the school boards and other boards for
1 the care of the dependent and deficient
4 classes. promoted sanitary conditions,
sI5refused to Wear plumage which caused
the suffering or extinction of birds, and
j taught Kindness and self-restraint and
a cohslderalloA cohderoA oi tEe rishls VI otlleTs '
4 to children. "A trained parenthood, Mrs
A Birney said would cause most illness
II to disappear. Organized motherhood
insists upon laws for the protection OF
4 childhood and one standard of morali-s
u ty for all. 1t believes in higher educa-
ton Tor women. but that IL is Unfair TO
make that the highest ann 10 Whlcnf
u y
everything must5p SACRIFICED. Ihe col
lege is a failure that SENDS Slrl TO hers
nome dlssatlshed ana critical OIL her
II parents ana dzsurrouhdihss ana llhpa-
& tient for u career OUTSIDE the nome. u
; the repuDllc IS 10 endure, character charae5t
! must outweigh knowledge ana wealth.
IN the estimation OF mankind. w arm
sestly. dc sire heS desperation or the Ia
8 lsthers, and they are invited to meet tn
!. US and discuss these questions. we
!. need5their assistance in every step. We
invite toe our membership all persons
who believe in preventa tive rather than
: reformatory work Almost any reform
can be accomplished by influencing
!, public opinion See how the theate'
= :, nat mas peen apoiisnec DS etlls slrreslsel-
!.
! !, Mrs. H q. Birney. or t'hlladelphla
. said she TOOK VI the work OF the lltera :
: ture committee year ago WITH WITH s sTea1
. enthusiasm ana mad not losl any OF mel
!, zeal. The purpose OF the committee
s she SAID. was tosproNise Hlotners ar re-
/, moved from cluh life an opportunity t9i
: organized study With a few good books
TO assist them IN caring tor and tram
:, ing their children For women edu-
: Gated for business or Tor another ca
!. reer, not trained for motherhood, tht
= list proposed by the committee Woulc
= be a great help. From II these won1el
= could select a few books that woule
!, supply the deficiency in their educa'
y tion for their new Responsibilities. Sht
had found the task of selecting a list 9
. books for children Very difficult on
= I, because5cf the conflicting advice. Near
y iy every class Of books had Its cham
|pons. The COMMITTEES had adhefe'
pretty closely to the classics, and Mrs
IF Rirney declared that modern popula
IT literature snouid be given TO childrel
ri lin very small doses The child. sh
N said, needed a mixed diet and shoul'
q not be permitted to have only what j
= most liked.
ID
~ Mrs. Thaddeus p. Stanwood of Evans
ri ton H.. presented the report of tn
s. Legislative committee, in which che ha
4. collected some startling facts relatin
IL, to the legal status of married wome
tn land the laws In regard to child labor !
he 4vamous states. In thirty-seven state
or married women have no right to tn
he possession of their children. Only te
le states provide for joint guardianship b
n- father and mother. In sixteen state
n married women have no right to thei
nd earnings outside the home. In eisl
s. states women have no. right to hol
ey property after their marriage. seve
h. states have no5lawss compelling mant
Cd support his Wife. Mrs. Stanwood af
at vis,sd the women to find out If the stat
ar lin which they lived We're included
he any of these groups. and If so. To ure
he reform She told of the efforts heir
made in various states to prevent u
employment of child labor to the eXtel
of keeping children out of school ST