The Washington herald., 1913-04-17
CHILD PROBLEM
TASK OF WOMAN
National Council Convention
Advocates Conservation
of the Young.
SENATOR LANE SPEAKS
Member Says at This Period Nothing
Appears to Be Cheaper Than
Human Life.

An open meeting for discussion of the
conservation of childhood was held al
the Universalist Church, Thirteenth and
l. Streets Northwest, last night by the
National Council of Women. now in con-
vention in this city.
This question forms one Of the chief
problems for whose solution the Nation
al Council is endeavoring to unite the
energy of the women of the country.
and is being agitated in twenty-three
countries by the International Council,
of which the American Council Is affili-
ated.
Senator Sherman addressed the women
upon what had been accomplished In the
interest of the child in his own State.
He said the child question can never be
properly solved until the women CO.
operate with men in the study OF prob
lens presented by it. To illustrate the
present attitude, he said that one could
always get an audience when the subject
announced was the conservation Of the
physical resources of the country, but
that If We weigh human life by its ap-
parent Importance, nothing Is cheaper in
the world today.
Human Life Important.
yet, the conservation of human lie
reaches beyond all other considerations
of the community" he said.
There is an increasing tendency ne
continued. Ito sever the family relation,
which greatly adds to our problem. The
first duty of the government is to give
every little fellow his chance in the
world. and the power of taxation should
be used unsparingly to see that he gets il.
Where private charity seeks to relieve
the state of its proper burden II is Often
a case OF where indscriminate charity Is
worse than none at all
Mrs Helen II. Gardener spoke upon the
mothers place in the home. and its bear
ing on this question. Here is the home
of the children she said. here Is the
mothers place. and her duty is to make
this home TT place for her children to
live in
Mrs Gardener said the old idea of
women's duty is doomed She called this
ideal, that OF passive womanhood act
ing as the nurse of a diseased and Grip
pied, a wronged and vicious race. To-
day women's way lies in efforts of pre-
vention, she said. and woman must work
for the prevention of evils In full CO.
operation with the men.
Chaplain Oners Prayer.
Rev. DR.. Prettyman, chaplain Of the
United States Senate, opened the meet
ing with prayer. MIS-. Kate Waller Bar
rett, president or the council, conducted
the meeting and welcomed the delegates
TO Washington. Mrs Geraldine Frisbee,
president Of the National Woman's Re-
lief Corps, responded on behalf of the
delegates. Mrs. 3. X. Bruce spoke on |
what is being accomplished for col1rei
Several musical selections were !
given.
At the business meeting of the council |
this morning delegates to international |
meetings at Paris, The Hague and Lon
ION will be chosen. Reports of various
will he received. and at 4:30
o'clock in the afternoon, the delegates
will go to Alexandria. where in the
the second open meeting will be
leld at the Methodist Episcopal Church.
At this meeting Miss Julia Lathrop. head
If the childrens bureau, will speak. The
programme Of business before the con-
ention will close on Friday.