Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-27
ter. which has behind It so great a public
sentiment
"Traffic Foe Of the Home"

the home, and as mothers wives, sisters
and daughters, we believe the position
taken by this so-called Christian nation.
whose motto is In God We Trust in
receiving a revenue of s1.10 for every
gallon of whisky distilled, and 81 for
every barrel of beer brewed. in demand
ing tax Of So from every illicit liquor
seller Is wrong, first, last and every
time.
AS women we have taken our stand
against this enemy that debauches youth.
wrecks falr lives. causes more misery
that deprives the child of the right of
being well born, that stultifies and
brushes all that is good and noble and
true.
This is why we ask the government Of
the intrenched liquor traffic
National constitutional prohibition is
IN accord with our institution. The pas
sage OF this resolution would destroy the
organized business. AS has been said.
the moment you kill the monster liquor
interests you give the next generation
chance to grow up sober. Only the liquor
dealer wants the boy to be debauched.
GOOD men, whether they drink or not.
are with us on this issue. We call on
every father and mother, on every man
and woman who love their country, to
stand with us in this battle of the Ameri-
can home against the American saloon"
Work of Children's Bureau.
The work of the children's bureau re-
Gently established by the United States
Department Of Labor was reviewed by
Miss Julia c. Lathrop, chief of the bu-
reau She said in part:
THE childrens bureau has carefully
avoided taking up any subject within
Its field which was already in the hands
OF any other government agency. The
first object selected for study was in
fant mortality, because of its obvious
Importance, its comparative simplicity
and the fact that 1t was not then being
studied by another government agency.
The bulk OF the allowance asked by the
bureau for the coming year in its pro-
posed estimates Is designed for the con-
tinuance of this study into infant NOR
tally and for allied work.
Tho inquiry into infant mortality
conducted by the childrens bureau is
original in character. first because it
begins by a study of the birth record
rather than the death record; second,
because it is not a medical study but its
design is to secure data regarding the
social. industrial and civic surroundings
Of infancy in about fifty typical Ameri-
can communities. especially small towns
and distinctly rural districts.
The results hoped are, first. body Of
valuable statistical information; second,
an awakening of public interest and re-
sponsibility by the mere fact of the in
quiry, and third, information upon which
further advances in preventive work
can be based This inquiry cannot go
to any community which does not regis
ter the births of its babies. and hence
another natural result ia an improvement
in birth registration.
Preventable Deaths Cited.
This country has no system of vital
statistics adequate to furnish an exact
estimate founded on the figures of the
few cities and states which do have ade-
quate statistics. but the vital statistician
Of the census bureau says that probably
10000 children died last year in the Unit
ed States. The great sanitarians tell US
that nalf of these lives could have been
saved if we had utilized methods of by
giene and sanitation already understood
more than that, If children are well born
and cared for, that infant mortality may
be negligible quantity The power Of
reduction lies with us, and 1t Is nlimitable
in extent In New Zealand, where a vol
unteer society for the health Of women
and children has been at work for some
years, the death rate has been reduced
to ffty-one for the whole country, while
in certain communities it is still lower,
notably in the city Of Dunedin, where 1t
has been reduced to thirty-eight. The
New York city board of health says pub
lie health is purchasable. Within certain
natural limitations community can de-
termine its own death rate. New sholMe,
the great English authority, says infant
mortality is the best single index We have
of social conditions.
THE problem of infant mortality has
been stated by the scientists. The meth
DDS of meeting it have been wor'ed out
by the sanitarians It now remains to
popularize those methods, to increase pub
lie interest in securing their application.
The children.s bureau is attempting to
popularize that vast field of information
regarding social, civic and individual by
piene. which, IL applied by citizens and
Communities, will result in lowering Of
the infant death rate and raising OF the
general standard of health.
For Amendments to Constitution.
Mrs. Orville T. Bright Of Chicago, vice
president, gave notice Of an amendment
to the constitution to provide for FIVE
additional vice presidents. In the mean
time she suggested that five additional
acting vice presidents be appointed by
the executive committee.
Mrs William F. Thatcher, treasurer,
offered an amendment to the constitu-
ton providing for the appointment of a
vice president at large by the president
H.
gave notice Of an amendment to the con-
stitution providing for financial sec
rotary.
The amendments will be acted upon at
the next meeting of the Mothers Con-
gress, and the appointment Of five act
ing vice presidents will be taken up at
a meeting Of the executive committee to-
morrow.
Paper by Mrs. A. s. Richardson.
How We Can Save 100000 Babies in
Twelve Months" was the self-explana-
tory title Of paper read by Mrs. Anna
steese Richardson, chairman of the child
hygiene department. She said that the
department Of child hygiene stands for
health and happiness in children. She
also told Of its aims.
Others who addressed the session to-
day were Mrs. Warwick A. Downing
Of Denver. Col. and chairman of the
Fairgrounds department; Beverly T. Gal
loway, assistant secretary OF agriculture.
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