The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-16
STRONG PLEA MADE
 FOR CHILDREN
Roosevelt Sends Special Mes sage on Subject to Congress
PROTECTION IS DEMANDED
Children's Bureau Is Recommended and Such Legislation as Will Best Care for Dependent Chl-
 dren In All States.

Washington, February 15.-Legisation, which, it Is believed if enacted Ipto law, will make an important epoch in the future well-begin of the dependent chil- dren of the nation, is recommended in a special message by President Roosevelt sent to Congress today in which he makes a strong plea in the interest of chil- dren coming within this class.
 Of particular importance is the Pres idents recommendation for the establish ment of a federal children's bureau; the enactment of such legislation as will bring the laws and practices in regard to the care of dependent children in all fed eral territory into harmony and certain legislation in behalf of dependent children in the District of Columbia The Pres ident believes that such legislation is important not only for the welfare of the children immediately concerned, but important "as setting an example of a high standard of child protection by the national government to the several states of the union, which should be able to look to the nation for leadership in such matters"
 oI OOTlICTcOCC. The President also transmits with his message to Congress a copy of the con clusions, together with the full text of
 the proceedings of the recent conferences
 here on the care of dependent children, in accordance with the request of that
 organization Declaring that their conclu- sions constitute a wise, conservative,
 and progressive proG amme of child caring york; the President says that if
 given full effect by the proper agencies, existing methods and practices in almost every community would be profoundly and advantageously modified
 Statistics showing the large number of dependent children in the country are presented by MT. Roosevelt. Each of these children represents either a poten-
 tial addition to the productive capacity and the enlightened citizenship of the nation,' says the President, "or, if all lowed to suffer from neglect, potential addition to the destructive forces of the community. The ranks of criminals and other enemies of society are recruited in an altogether undue proportion from chil- dren bereft of their natural homes and left without sufficient care. The inter-
 ests of the nation are involved in the
 welfare of this army of children no less than in our great material affairs" Plea for Chldrens Bureau. In urging a chldrens bureau, one of 1 whose duties will be to investigate | report upon all matters pertaining to the | welfare of children and child life, the | President points out that the national government is the only agency which can 1 effectively conduct such general inquiries 1 as are needed for the benefit of al our citizens"
 Tt is not only discreditable to us as
 people that there is now no recognized
 and authoritative source of information l upon these subjects relating to child life" declares the President, but in the ab- sence of such information as should be
 supplied by the federal government many abuses have gone unchecked; for public sentiment, with it's great corrective pow CT, can only be aroused by full knowl- edge of the facts" He adds that there are few things more vital to the welfare of the nation than accurate and depend able knowledge of the best methods of dealing with children, particularly those handicapped by misfortune.
 The President makes a strong plea for keeping the family intact and declares that poverty alone should not disrupt the