The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-11
TALKS TO MOTHERS.
OF THEIR MISSION
National Congress Gathers al
White House and President
Makes an Address.


The White House was the scene to-
day of tho formal opening of the tirs'
/ international Congress on the Wei.
fare of the child, which Is being held
| under the auspices Of the Natlonhi
1 Mothers Congress. The zoo delegates,
representing all the States and Terri
| tories and dozen or more or the iehu-
ling countries of the world, were re-
ceived at the White House at $50
| O'Clock this afternoon, when President
Roosevelt delivered an address to them,
| in which lie declared that he placed
the society ahead of the Civil War vet
Grams. because, lie said, in the linal
analysis 1t is the mother only who Is
n better citizen than the soldier who
fights for his country.
"The stalwart mother, the mother
who does her part in rearing and train
ing Alright the boys and girls who are
to be the men and women of the next
generation, is of greater use to the
community, and occupies. If she only
would realize 1T. a more honorable as
well as more important position than
any successful man in 1t.
Nothing In this life that is really
worth having comes save at the cost
of effort. No life Of self-indulgence, OF
mere vapid pleasure. can possibly, even
In the one point of pleasure itself,
yield SO ample reward as comes to
the mother at the cost of self-denial,
of effort, of suffering childbirth, of
the long. slow. patience-trying work
of bringing up the children Alright.
The Duty of woman.
mo scheme OF education, no social
attitude can be right unless it Is based
Fundamentally upon the recognition of
seeing that the girl is trained to I'M
derstand the supreme dignity. the SUI
preme usefulness, OF motherhood. I'm
less the average woman Is a good
wife and good mother; unless she
bears sufficient number OF children,
so that the race shall increase and no.
decrease; unless she brings up these
children sound in soul, in mind and
in body; unless this Is true of the
average woman, no briliaucy OF ge-
MUS. no material prosperity. trumphs
OF science and industry. will avail to
save the race from ruin and death.
The mother is the one supreme asset
OF national life; she Is more important
by far than the successful statesman.
or business man, or artist, or scientist.
abhor and condemn the man who
Is brutal, thought.ess. careless. selfish
with women. and especially with the
women OF his own household. The
birthpanss make all mon the debtors
or all women. abiior and condemn the
man who fails to recognize all his
obligations to the woman who does
her duty. But the woman who shirks
her duty as Wife and mother is just
as heartily to be condemned. We de-
spise her as we desplse and condemn
the soldier who finches in battle.
Because we so admire the good wo-
man. the unselfish woman. the far
" Ia,,n
with her unworthy sister who fears
to do her duty; exactly as for the very
reason that we respect q man who does
his duty honestly and fairly.
Condemn Those Who shirk.
"All honor to the man or woman
who does duty. who renders service;
and We can only honor him or her il
The weight OF our condemnation is
.elt by those who finch from their
luty.
Il want to ask your assistance for
-wo or three matters that are not |
connected with the life !
n the family itself, but that are of |
'ftal consequence to the children.
I'm the first place in the schools. |
practical as possible. For the boys I
want to see training provided that
hall train them toward, and not away
rom. their life work; that will train
hem toward the farm or the shop. |
not away from it. With the girl, see
hat it is not made matter of mirth
hat the girl who goes to college comes
but unprepared to do any of the ordi-
,ary duties of womanhood.
"As regards our public schools
especially want to put in a special
word in behalf OF the right kind of
playground. No school is good
school If it has not a good play
round. Help the children to play; and
that you can often help
hem most by leaving them entirely
llone
Evils of Child Labor.
"You cannot have good citizens, good
nen and women of the next genera
ion. il the boys and girls are worked
n factories to the stunting of their
moral, mental and physical growth.
the national government
wills OF child labor. and I trust this
will be done: but much must be done
" the actions OF tho several State
,egislaturs. And do, each OF you, in
our several States. all that you can
o secure the enactment and then the
enforcement of laws that shall put al
top to the employment of children Of
ender age in doing what only grown
,eople should do.
do not forget that love Is what the
amily Is based on. but don't do chill
rem. don't do grown people. the dread
III njustlce-through love that is
lerely one form of weakn ess-of fall
lg to make the child behave itself. A VI
carriage should be partnership
there each of the two parties has his
r her right, where each should be
lore careful to do his or her duty
han to exact duty from the other
artner; but where each must. in JUS
Ice to the other partner no less than
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