Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-12-04

Il ID proposed by the Chef Of tho
Ch1a0fens Bureau at Washiugt0n 10
uakeA test Of the completeness Of Birth
Registration IN the states which have
Registration laws, This teat viii cor
Aist in aAcertaining the number Of births
known to have occurred in the year
1918 and comparing apkrA with tho
local records, thereby aecoI in1vhat
propagation Of births hAIo Hl III.
There are already IS so called 'Regiy
tration States namely, states in which
uniform methods are used, and at least
30 per cent of births and deaths are
actually reported and recorded. "a ~
port from the census Bureau at Wash
ington shows that in towns in Iowa
where the test has been made that prob
ably not over 33 per cent of births in
1910 were recorded. As yet Iowa is
not a Registration State and COED
vital statistic law, which will admit it
as one, is one of the serious needs Of the
moment. Such bill win b4 drafted
by the Federal Census Bureau and pre-
sented at the next session of the legis-
lature by our State Board Of Health.
It is desirable that public sentiment
be aroused in the meantime as to tho
purpose and Importance of this hill,
both in order that it may not fail to
become law through indifference ON
the part of the members Of the legiala-
ture and their constituents and also In
order that the public may be educated
to assist in and demand the enforcement
of the law passed.
It is a development of the policy Of
the Childrens bureau to co-operat6 with
the womens clubs in any effort which
ultimately will result in saving babies
lives and safeguarding their rights. The
General Federation Of Womane Clubs
has expressed approval of this effort by
recognizing in its resolutions adopted
at the eleventh biennial convention
that accurate registration of births
and deaths Is the essential basis for in
tellectual effort to conserve infant life,
| to secure tho education of all children
end to protect their working life and
legal rights.
It has been asked that this test be
made in Audubon by members Of the
have been chosen and each member il
working according to instructions given
by the Chief Of the Childrens Bureau.
| Some of the reasons why parents
should be interested in having the births
of their babies recorded are as follows:
/ In order that the individual may have
4 q record to refer to in all questions re-
lating to heredity, legitimacy, property
rights, and identity.
In order that exact ages may be def
nately known, thus making possible
the enforcement of the laws regulating
school attendance, child labor, and the
age Of consent.
In order that the immediate public
recording of child birth may notify
the public health authorities and thus
make it possible to offer the necersary
help to mother and child, in cases ii
which the family may not be able to
afford adequate medical and nursery
care.
i II is hQpNa that the above win not be
misundlfstd6d as being criticism OF
any whose dirty it may be to keep the
records, as this is not the case. It ID
the efficiency Of the law which It ID
hoped may be changed.
/ Let q unite to remove this stigma
from our state record at the earliest
possible moment and place Iowa in the
front rank in one move particular.