Bisbee daily review., 1914-02-11
MOTHERS ARE ASKED
 ID AID NATION BY
 GUARDING BABIES
Chief of the Federal Children's
 Bureau Says Infant Nor tality Challenges Attention

 WASHINGTON, Feb. f0.-An ap- peal to American mothers, to womens clubs and to all who may be inter. ested in the nations social welfare for aid fin the movement to safeguard the lives Of babies, was made today by Miss Julia C. Lathrop, chief of the Federation Children's Bureau, in her first annual report to Secretary Will son, of the Labor Department. Infant mortality is subject now challenging the attention of the whole covilized wcrld,' said Miss Lathrop. Tt is impossible to state with accur- acy the infant death rate measures be- cause the Unite1 States differs from other civilized countries and provides no general system of birth registra- ton. Estimates obtained by the gov ernment statisticians, based upon Census reports, however, show that last year the actual loss was about 300.0OC babies under one year of age. or these at least half would now be-
 
 living had we, as individuals and communities, applied those measures of hygiene and sanitation which are known and available. This vast and unmeasured loss of infant life is due f,lely to individual and civic neg. iect."
 Inadequacy of funds and the limited number of workers provided by the statutes creating the Childrens Bu- reau, the report said has greatly hampered the prosecution of the work.
 Tt Is obvious the report contln- ued. that even the most superficial survey cf the bureaus great field Is impossible with thb present force. and that in order to accomplish any thing at all it was necessary that the stan should be composed of special. ly qualified persons"
 Eaby-saving campaigns in numer- GUS cities and the efforts now being put forth through them to prevent in- fsnt mcTtaliy were highly commented by Miss Lathrop. The Bureau pro. poses to cooperate whoever possible with such movements.
 A series of pamphlets dealing with the home care of young children, be ginning with one on personal care, are now being distributed by the Bu. reau> In these ft is shown that slightly more than 42 per cent of the infants dying pncer one year of age | ;, ,t,o ,.,s.is, ,, tf-p ,r. in fott afa not live to complete the first month of ' life. and that of this 42 per cent al. most seven-tenths dies as result of prenatal conditions or of injury or accident ct birth
 An investigation has been started ! ty enc of the Bureaus fl cid agents ! in an effort tc ascertain whether child-.abor laws are being properly enforced and whether the states grant the certificates with due reference to he childrens mental attainments and physical development.
 ! Through communications received by the Bureau, Miss Lathrop said she had been informei that no state in America is at thenpresent time making adecnate provision fer exceptional and needy childreh."
 The Bureau has discovered a pop ular conviction that 1t is sound prln- ciple that no child should be sepa- rated from the care of good mother because cf poverty alone. "The mat ter of turning this popular conviction into useful public Junction. Miss !, lathrop says. ,is one demanding searching inquiry"