The Washington herald., 1912-09-11

dertaken at first will be a campaign
with a view to obtaining better systems
of birth registrations in various parts
of the country. The work OF the bureau
will be chiefly statistical, and in order
to form a basis for the compilation OF
facts, it will be necessary to procure
better systems of birth registration
throughout the country.
The bureau. like many other govern
ment Offices" said Miss Lathrop. will
devote most of its energy to the gather
ing and compilation of statistics. In
getting statistics on children, II Is essen
tial to know the ages Of them. At pres
ent much difficulty is experienced because
of the incomplete birth records in this
country 1t is apparent that unless the
ages of children about whom the sta
tistics are gathered are definitely known.
the figures and facts set forth will mean
but little of practical value
We believe that complete birth regis
tration in all parts of the country is a
requisite for the carrying out Of the
plans which the bureau contemplates. Re
cent efforts of the Census Bureau TO OBJ
tain birth statistics revealed the fact
that but few communities in the United
States had registrations in any degree
complete and correct. This is a deplor-
able condition Of affairs, and one with
which We must battle. We have two
field agents, who will start out on the
work of the bureau. They will gather
information concerning birth registration
methods, and will forward it to the bu-
reau in Washington. where 1t will be
compiled and published in bulletin form.
These bulletins will be widely distrib-
uted. and II is expected will add impetus
to the crusade for better registration
methods"
To Compile Statistics.
Miss Lathrop said that the bureau
would also devote much time to the
compilation OF statistics on infant NOR
tality. Investigations will be instituted
to determine the causes of the high NOR
tality rates among infants. and literature
on the subject will be compiled for circu-
lation. Miss Lathrop said that about
1000 infants under one year of age die
every year in the United States. She
said that the lives of half of this num-
ber could be saved if proper care were
given the babies. 1t is expected that
the efforts of the bureau will in time
materially reduce the high mortality
rate.
THE bureau" said Miss Lathrop, will
cooperate with the census office, the
Bureau of Education, and all organiza-
tions interested in the welfare of the
child. There will be no duplication OF
work. The bureau will enter no fields
which are already adequately covered.
I'VE expect that there will be some
adverse criticism at first to the effect
that the work of the bureau Is ineffec-
tive. It will naturally take the office
some time to get the work under way.
We do not expect to see wonderful re-
suits in a month or year. or perhaps
in two years. 1t will take a long time
to secure the necessary information,
compile 1t. and to publish the collected
data and recommendations. 1t must
be remembered that the bureau is at
present merely experimental 1 am
convinced, however. that eventually the
office will prove itself of inestimable
value to the government and the peo-
pie of the country at large.
To Publish Directory.
Practically all questions affecting tn,
welfare of the child will be investigated
by the bureau A directory will soor
be published. containing all of the juve.
nile courts in the country, together with
the names of the officials, synopses OF
the methods used. results obtained. lawi
In effect, and contemplated changes ir
legislation and administration.
The bureau at present has fifteen EN-.
ployes. II is expected that II will grad.
ually grow as the work expands. Miss
Lathrop, the director, receives a salary
of s5, 900 q year. Although the bill pro-
viding for the establishment Of the bu.
reau was approved April 9. 1912. the ap.
preparation for the work did not become
available until the latter part Of August
This seriously delayed the work of the
Office The bureau was tempora rily
quartered in the Department Of Com
merce and Labor annex in Louisiana
Avenue but, Monday ofices were moved
to the Victor Building.
Section OF the bill providing for
the establishment of the bureau ex-
plains the work to be undertaken by
the ONCE in the following words:
The said bureau shall inyestigate