Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-22

Washington, Dec. 21-(SpeciaD -
The second annual report of the Chill
dren's Bureau of the Department Of
Labor has Just been issued, describ-
ing it's activities from June 80, 1913,
to June 80, 1914. This report of WORK
done with the same small staff and
appropriation with which the Bureau
was inaugurated in 1912 is largely a
discussion of the continuation of the
first years work, although certain new
lines of work are indicated which will
be taken up as soon as the new staff
is secured.
infant Mortality and the Care Of Chit
dren.
The first two years work represents
practically unit in the existence or
the Children's Bureau. Emphasis
from the first has been placed on in
FAINT welfare, centering around a Held
investigation into the social signifi-
canoe of infant mortality in Johns
town. Pa. 1t is expressly stated thai.
the report of this field inquiry is ONLY
the first of a series of such studies
which will be conducted in various
typical parts of the country.
Regarding this first study. Miss
Lathrop says:
THE reading of the first field study
will show a coincidence of underpaid
fathers, overworked and ignorant
mothers, and those hazards to the HE
of offspring which individual parents
can not avoid or control. This points
toward the imperative need Of ascer-
tanning a standard of life for the
American family. The study of in
FAINT mortality involves finding how far
the essentials Of such standard may
be secured by communities, how Iai
they rest upon better conditions OF
work and pay. and how far they De.
pend upon the individual rectitude OF
fathers and mothers. Toward the as
eertainment of this standard 1t IS
hoped that the Bureaus continued
studies into infant mortality may con-
tribute"
The field work on the infant NOR
tality inquiry has been supplemented
nv publications dealing with the care
of children by parents and by COM
munities.
One of these, a report of the WORK
of the New Zealand Society Ior the
Health of Women and Children, oes-
cribes how volunteer bodies OF clu-
zens. by combining forces and CO.
operating. have brought necessary
helm to mothers and children and nave
aided in reducing the infant mortality
of New Zealand to the lowest rate II
the world. In the city OF Duneoln, ioi
instance. the rate in 1912 was 80 PEI
1000 births. When compared Win
the rate in such comparatively faVor- !
able localities in our own country as
Philadelphia d35.5 per 1000 IN 1910,
or Boston t09.s in 1918. 1t Is evident
that much serious work remains 10 W
done in the United States.
A second publication in the series
IN tha home care of children. aa-
dressed to the individual mother. has
been prepared. This is entitled IN
FAINT care. and covers the care of the
child through the second year. deaaihs
with such questions as 1eeolns'
clothing, bathing. sleep, etc. 1t
written in simple, untechnicai IAN
suage. for the average American
mother.
Birth Registration, as preliminary
to studies of infant mortality ana as "
necessary safeguard for the child go
ing to school or to work. is part OF the
bureaus program, and Is the suD1ecs
of a new pamphlet for use In popoia'
campaigns for better registfatioh.
a test which has been conducted ps
the Bureau in cooperation with the
General Federation Of Womens olups
and other organizations in IL States
ero ,ba sizes the fact that even IN inc
states where vital statistics are con
sidered most reliable a large nuhhoe,
of births are still unregistered anu
children still grow up deprived OF .he
benefits of a legal record. An aver
age of the results obtained from TN
test shows that fifth OF the oa''e'
studied we're unregistered.
Child Labor.
Child Labor has been censioeIsA
,argely from the administrative slaes
A study is now going forward OF tne
methods of issuing employment Ger
,it,cates to children in various states.
This Is important, since the WORK
certificates may be used to ENFORCE
minimum age provisions and also do