El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-06

A FEW years ago a handful of
- women in the District Of Co
- lumbia organized a little club
for the purpose OF studying matters
which would help them to be better
mothers to their children. other won-
en- with no children, but having a ma
ternal tenderpess to all childhood. de-
sired to join and study for the sake
of the little folks who had no mothers
to care for them. Soon the club tn
cluded teachers and other persons in
terested in children's welfare From
this small nucleus has grown the
mighty movement for child welfare
represented by the National Congress
of Mothers. Under the auspices OF
|, this Organization there will be held
in Washington this month the greatest
international congress on child well
fare ever held in the world
The Congress of Mothers.
There never has been another organ
ization which included so large a num-
Der of women in its ranks as the Con-
gresS Of Mothers. Each week adds to
the number OF affiliated organizations,
because the mother heart Is universal
and in every nation women are re-
spending to the appeal to work for the
betterment of childhood conditions. It
Is the American organization which
follow. The italian government re-
Gently has requested the women OF
that nation to take up the study of
child welfare. Under the direction Of
the American Congress of Mothers,
committee has been appointed for this
purpose with Signora Aida Orlando Of
Rome as chairman.
Movement In south America.
In the Argentine Republic the Club
H. 10 = 10 -
in Buenos Ayres It has secured a pub
lie playground in that city for chill
dren OF all social conditions and Is
planning newSboys home. 1t has
distributed plants among school chill
dren to interest. them in nature study
and is taking up many other matters
which the Congress of Mothers has al
ready demonstrated as helpful in Amer
lea.
All OF the civilized countries have
been invited to send delegates TO this
International congress of child welfare.
answers have been received from most
of the governments stating that their
nations will be represented Each state
in the union will send a delegate espe-
cially appointed blythe government for
this purpose, The mayors of over
500 American cities have been asked
& to send special representatives In ad-
dition TO these there will be delegates
from hundreds OF individual mothers
clubs, scattered over every part OF the
United States, besides clergymen, teach
ers and philanthropists who realize that
in caring for the child, the nation Is
making the safest, sanest and best pro-
vision for irs own future Reports
will be made on experiments already
tried. New ideas will be exchanged
and a mighty impetus towards the
child welfare OF the world cannot but
result from this congress.
Many Important Questions.
The questions to be considered in
their various phases include health
erring and dependent children, the
working child, the country child. the
city child. schools, Fairgrounds. police.
the home and the church One or more
meetings will be given to each of these
subjects and topics bearing upon them,
and the program will include some
OF the distinguished speakers of the
world. Among those already known are
ambassador Bryce of Great Britain, DR..
Elmer Ellsworth Brown. DR.. Floyd
Tompkins, DR.. Theodate Smith, COVER
nor Hooper OF Tennessee, judge De-
Lacey of the Juvenile court in the Dis
trlct Of Columbia, and Mrs. Ella Flagg
Young of Chicago, president of the Ma
tionai Education association.
To Save the Babies.
In connection Wit. health, means for
prevention of the enormous amount of
infant mortality will be considered TINS
subject already has been valiantly
wrestled with by the Mothers Con-
gress in many of the larger cities. In
the tenement districts of several cities
plainly printed cards entitled How
to Keep Your Baby Well" have been
circulated These cards give full di-
rectione for feeding. bathing and dress
ing babies especially during the heat
ed weather. Mothers meetings have
been held / public places at which
physicians have given free lectures on
simple practiC~- methods Of home sani-
tation. In order 70 give every child
the best possible conditions at the be-
ginning OF its life, the Congress OF
Mothers. with the aid OF various affil-
lated organizations, is endeavoring to
provide a trained nurse for the mother
of every new born baby The number