Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-27
B. J. Newman Urges Better
Environment in Upbringing
of Children.
SAYS PRESENT CONDITIONS
ALSO MAKE CRIMINAL S
Former Senator Dubois and Julia C,
Lathrop Also Speak Before Child
Welfare Congress.

SoSiets mas no fight TO take away the
life of any child, nor to consign him to
an environment that depletes his vitality
and undermines his moral nature: vet
without shadow Of a doubt it is today
guilty of both of these offenses,". de-
ciared Bernard ]. Newman secretary of
the Philadelphia housing commission, In
addressing today's session of the Third In
ternational Congress on the welfare of
the Child. at the Raleigh Hotel.
1T is not that it deliberately chooses
70 condemn little one to either end.
mat would be too crude. But it permits
conditions to develop that result in an
unnecessary loss Of life among children
"a loss that rivals in its horror the old
time slaughter Of the innocents Added
TO this 1t permits many that do survive
10 De subjected to environmental condi-
tions that are nothing less than manu-
factories for criminals. Few people know
.he cost OF the slums In their own city
ouCn areas are outside the beaten paths
ana unless they are disclosed by social
re1ormers are practically unknown lands.
Bad Living Conditions.
Every such area, however. houses neo-
PIE, men. women and children. Some of
attics. Some live in apartments of one
room' where they cook. eat, sleep, wash
their clothes. entertain their friends, take
care of their sick and prepare their dead
for burial. Often such families have six
OF eight members. Occasionally they
take in boarders. AS rule, the sani-
,ary conveniences are insufficient in num-
Der and crude in character. Frequently
the buildings are old and dilapidated,
with dirt foors or dark. unyentilated
rooms that are shut away from the sun
light and outer air. They are at times
damp and overrun with vermin.- In such
areas almost every condition acts upon
IN disastrous way. Kence the morbid
ity and the mortality rates are high, the
deaths varying from "a to 60 per 1000
population.
Crime Flourishes.
Here, too, crime f1ourishes, One in
tensive study of a Philadelphia block,
where all the foregoing evils were dis
covered. had record of go arrests
among 1,1O6 people in three years. Omit
ting the babies In arms, this meant one
arrest for every four people each year
Ior three years Out of thirteen alleys,
children to the children's court in 1910:
Two alleys sent every child.
The reason for this rate of lawless-
ness can be understood when one remem-
bers that, besides the insanitation men,
toned above, the alley houses have no
yards attached. The only playground
for the little ones is in the alley or out
upon the street. They have no place to
let of their natural animal spirits. Their
sense OF mine and thine" is weak.
upon them"
Praises Work Of Body.
Former Senator Fred T. Dubois of
Idaho. in an address. said in part:
1T Is an honor and a privilege to ad-
dress this assemblage Of women. The
Congress Of Mothers has accomplished
more and will continue to accomplish
and the world than any other organ
ization. You are practical and never
historical. You believe in giving De
child the best chance. Your efforts cen
ter around the home. It has been my
good fortune to know the value of your
work and the effectiveness of your or
ganizatton, because of your constant and
loyal help to those who have sought and
are still endeavoring to arouse the coun-
which menace the home from those in
sidious influences which threaten 1t. Your
great organization has never faltered an
instant, nor wavered in its insistence that
Ire purity of the home must be sus-
tained."-.
You have earnestly contended against
the aim, teachings. purposes and practices
Of the Mormon Church which have not
changed from the time of its first presi-
dent, Joseph Smith, and its second presi-
dent, Brigham Young
Discusses Liquor Question.
National Regulation Of Manufacture
and Sale Of Liquor was the subject of
an address by Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis,
superintendent of legislation for the W.
c. T. U. She referred first to the Joint
resolution introduced in the House of
Representatives last December by Rep
resentative Hobson. Continuing, she
said:
"Forty-one million people Of the United
States are living under prohibitory laws.
Nine states have statewide prohibition,
five Of which have the law written in
the bed rock of their state constitution
viz: Maine, Kansas. North Dakota, Okla
homa, and, in 1915, West Virginia, while
North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and
Mississippi have statutory prohibition.
I'VE believe the United States govern
ment should give the people Of the vari-
Gus states the right to pass on this mat