Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-03-10
OF WORLDWIDE INTEREST
T7E CONGRESS OF MOTHERS
BY FREDERIC J. HAskN

ton. OF more Importance than all
else, the question of parent teacher
associations will be discussed, this be-
ing movement urging parent and
teacher throughout the country to
come together and discuss the better
ing OF the chiid's general welfare,
Inc deaf. the blind, the insane. the
epiieptlc, the incurable and the mem
taily deficient and dependent will be
discussed at the hands of experts who
nave nave spent much time In alternating
me Ills or the afflicted little ones and
are eager for further and wider meas
ures IN their behalf. Some day they
nope TO make the busy world underL
STAND the value of the ounce of pre-
vention and have incompetent mothers
reallze tiat they could have prevented
a sae oepioraole fact that half the chill
dren IN the world have defective evp-
sight, or could have been saved from
olseases OF various kinds. The con-
gress or mothers urges such preventive
measures as Fairgrounds, public baths
gay nurseries, libraries and clubs for
poys ana girls. They know that
nealtn, cleanliness and occupation win
tend greatly to lessen crime and M
health in the world
Ihere are thousands and thousands
OF erring children throughout the coun.
ey me tault can hardly be theirs
.or shey are almost too young to know
good from evil. For years In ali
states, and even now in MANY states
tnese Juvenile offenders were nlaned
on the same footing as Offenders of
Al o.ner ages and committed to neno1
INSTITUTIONS In exactly the same fash
ION ron. Inc result was that there We're
aus. so many more criminals to en-
uanger the welfare of the connnoon-
wealth when the sentence had bea,,
served and the young Offenders lat
loose again. The congress of Inotbers
Is inquiring into the causes of ali these
tnlngs. asking the why and the wheras
. .1[e OF truaney. delinquency, vagrancy
eneit ana immortality. They are advo-
,SatiIlg the placing of these little fell
lews IN homes, or of letting them ont
~, On propation. or of putting them In
nlgn class reformato tories: for any o,,o
OF tnese three means chance FIR fine
ultimate redemption of the boy or girl
the saving of good citizen for the
These progressive American moth
ers, who like all old-time mothers
know nursery lore and believe in sim,
pie nome remedies. have gone q great
ways beyond their grandmothers in
anotner thing. That is in their inter-
est in legislation. They do NOT hest
tate In the least to ask for laws that
VIII protect children, prevent wrong
and promote good. In their various
states they are asking for better child
iapor laws. tenement laws, pure-food
laws. juvenile court laws and laws
tnat VIII more closely govern marriage
and divorce. They ask fearlessly al
home and abroad: What is your
city. state or nation doing to raise the
standards of care and guardianship OF
children?' A special crusade will be
made at this meeting against patent
medicines and the use of alcohol, ana
an earnest plea will be made for bet
ter cookery.
There are few sights SO pathetic as
an ignorant, incompetent mother try
ing to raise her children--and failing.
Sometimes such mothers are difficult
to reach they resent outside interior
ence. as did the New York woman
when approached by an East Side set
tlement worker and offered advice
about the care of her babies. 1.-THE
idea of her a-comin' to tell me how to
feed an raise a child" she sneered,
IAN me already buried seven!" The
members of the congress of mothers
modestly disclaim any intention of
going as evangels among mothers.
They claim that they do not hold
themselves up in any way as pattern
mothers; that they must reach the
children first But it is a foregone con-
cluson. a proved fact. that sooner or
later the parents will be reached
through the children. The old proph-
ecy that "a little child shall lead
them" has found more than one nine
teenth and twentieth century fulfill
ment.