Evening star., 1909-02-15
Conclusion of Conference
as Submitted to President

Appendix A. accompanying the message,
consists of a letter to the President. en-
bodying the conclusions of the conference
on the care of dependent children held
January 25 and 26. 1909, as follows:
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt,
President Of the United States.
Sir: Having been invited by you to par
ticipate In a conference on the care of
dependent children. held at Washington,
D. c., January 1926 1909, and having
considered at the sessions of such con-
ference the various phases of the sub
ject as stated in the memorandum ac-
companying your letter of invitation, and
such others as have been brought before
us by the executive committee, we desire
to express the very great satisfaction
felt by each member of this conference in
the deep interest you have taken in the
we'll being of dependent childrn.
The proper care of destitute children
has indeed an important bearing upon
the welfare of the nation We now
know SO little about them as not even
to know their number. but we know that
there are in institutions about $4,000 and
that many additional thousands are in
foster or boarding homes.
AS a step, therefore, in the conserva-
ton of the productive capacity of the
people, and the preservation of high
each of these children is entitled to receive
humane treatment. adequate care and
proper education, your action in calling
this conference, and your participation in
its opening and closing sessions. will
have, we believe, a profound effect upon
the we'll being of many thousands of
children, and upon the nation a whole.
Concerning the particular objects to
which you called attention in the invi-
tation to this conference, and the addi-
before hy he
executive committee, our conclusions are
as fellows:
Home Care.
l. Home life is the highest and finest
product of civilization. 1t is the great
molding force Of mind and of character
Children should not be deprived of it
except for urgent and compelling rea-
sons. Children of parents of worthy
character. suffering from temporary mis-
fortune. and children of reasonably eff
cient and deserving mothers who are
without the support of the normal bread
winner. should. as rule, be kept with
their parents. such aid being given as
may be necessary to maintain suitable
homes for the rearing of the children.
This aid should be given by such meth
DDS and from such sources as may be
determined by the general relief policy
of each community. preferably in the
form of private charity rather than of
public relief Except in unusual circum-
stances, the home should not be broken
up for reasons of poverty, but only for
considerations Of inefficiency or immo-
rality.
Preventive Work.
.. The most important and valuable
philanthropic work is not the curative.
but the preventive; to check dependency
by thorough study of its causes and by
effectively remedying or eradicating
them should be the constant aim of So
ciety.
Along these lines we urge upon all
friends Of children the promotion of eff
fective measures, including legislation,
to prevent blindness; to check tubercu-
losis and other diseases in dwellings
and work places. and injuries in hazard
Gus occupations; to secure compensa-
tion or insurance. SO as to provide a