Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-17


date to take care of those unfortu-
mates over there. and that being the
case there is no Senator here who
can deny the fact that having en-
ployed those nurses they should be
treated as human beings.
1t cannot be said that the State of
Maine cannot afford TO give these
nurses q sufficient home. shelter, and
place for recreation. At the present
time, as 1 have said, they are sleeping
by day in the wards; they are sleep
ing by night in those rooms, amongs.
all the confusion that goes on there
by day and by night. Thirty-two Of
them are sleeping there. Twelve Of
them, unventilated attic, that is filled
with the trunks and clothing of pa
tients, where people are going. in and
out through the day getting out the
clothes for the patients; SO that the.'
are unable to get the rest they need
fer their arduous labors
A few of them, who are married, are
living in the pest-house over there,
SO that if there should be any cpl
cenlic and the pest-house should be
needed they would be turned out of
doors, with no place TO live, and even
at that it doesn't seem to me, Mr..
President, that the idea OF living ia
the pest-house, whether needed or not,
affords the correc, kind of an .Ameri-
can home which we should set up for
the servants of the State. 1t doesn't
sound good to me that nurse whom
we employ to take care of the unfor-
Inmates should have to sleep i'll a
Lest-house because the State Of Maine
can't afford anything better.
There are total Of sixty Of these
nurses. We are asking for an appro-
priation of $50 600 which shall give
them clean, wholesome. sanitary quar-
tiers. where they may have their owa
rooms. human comforts, and rooms for
recreation, and a place where they
may congregate Ehen off duty, and call
their own.
II there is any principle of hunlani-
ty in US; # We believe in doing by
others as We should be done BY. Z
seems TO me there can be no oues-
ton that this is needed. and that this
nurses home is needed in Augusta As
Well as they need X IN Bangor. We
have passed an appropriation where
by the rooms il tho Bangor Hospital
are fitted up for sleeping in the build
irs. but III The hospital al August.
there is 10 sufficient place which can
he fitted - I" take care of thes4
nurses and have them apart from thu.
wards over Which they nav, charge
In addition 70 this. it isn't Very dis
tant when that institution VIII be call
ing On for increased quarters Now L
We furnish this home fer nurses we
al thu same tine ,aNc those nurses
out OF the wards and make room for
forty-five additional patients. and IN
less We do tlis We are NOT bcnefittin-
the nurses at all. We are crouding 10
the patients more than they should
he. and IN two Years from now it i
probable that they viii have IL come
70 this Legislature and ask for
large appropriation for another wing
y seems 70 me, therefore, NJ presi-
dem. that it is q matter Of business.
and one which We should attend TO 4.
this time, one which the state can
we'll afford. and which II is our duty
TO pass n give that INSTITUTION t:lf
accommodations that are needed. and
give these nurses the proper Kind f
a homo.
These girls who are over there are
cong efficient and faithful work. Tney
are the daughters of citizens Of the
State. and l don't believe ore II US
who sits here. Il we went through tha;
institution. would be willing that our
daughters should go :nto that :nstitU-
tion and live under the conditions That
the daughters Of our citizens are Oh
liged u live in over there, and will
he obliged to live in unless We do
our duty by that institution and ap-
propriate TIE s50o0o asked for here.
The central heating plant can be ALI
nexed to it. so that there will be no
unnecessary cost 50 far as that is con-
cerned. 1t Will be separate from the
main buildings. so that when the
nurses are off duty they may have !
home to cOngregate in. rest and rec
reation rooms and reading rooms. and
l believe they Will be better nurses
Tor it.
l don't see how il is possible at the
present time for that institution to
hold its nurses, and if we are to take
care Of the unfortunates it seems to
me our first duty is TO provide for
them reasonably decent and sufficient
nurses to care for them. and follow
ing along the line Of least resistance
people are looking for the best places
they can get. if they are obliged TO
work for a living. The superinten
dent tells US it is almost impossible
to hold the good nurses, simply be-
cause conditions are SO unfavorable
and as I have said before If Won
should all go through that institution
it would not take but very few in
stances to make it clear to YOU that
no daughter of yours should spend her
life in those surroundings. But it is
absolutely necessary that someone's
daughters live there, that someone
take care of the insane. That being
the case. it becomes our duty. as 7
have said 10 provide the people who
are obliged TO go there with a reason
ably decent, clean, homel,ke place
where they may stay: and l there
fore move that the majority report
ought to pass, be accepted Mr.. Presi-
dent.
Mr. FULTON Of Aroostook: Mr.. Pres.
ident: I will not take UP much Of the
time. It seems to me enough has al
ready been said 70 convince the members