The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-11-06
Laws Passed In 1915
for Benefit of Children.


Forty-fve state and territorial leg
islatures and the congress of the
United States in 1915 passed laws
affecting children, according to the
Children's Bureau which has just
completed it's survey Of such legisla-
ton during the current year. Special
reference is made to the impressive
bulk Of children's laws and to the
number Of commissions appointed to
study and prepare for future legisla-
ton.
Arkansas, Florida and Utah have
commissions to report on the needs
of the feeble-minded; New Jersey, a
commission to prepare state pro-
gram for the reorganization of public
care Of defective, dependents. and de-
linquents; Missouri and New Hamp-
shire, commissions on the needs of
the blind; Delaware, q commission on
vocational education; Idaho, COM
mission to report on the need for a
minimum wage law; Florida and In
diana, commissions on the need for
mothers pensions; and California, a
commission to study social insurance.
The bureau says that the appoint
ment of these commissions indicates
a growing realization that benevo-
lent intent can not safely be accept
ed as q substitute for the careful
formulation Of statutes for social bet
terment. The subjects to which
study is directed are all of immediate
concern to children, and the states
are thus fairly committed to a policy
Of selecting and harmonizing provis-
ions which leads plainly toward the
collection and codifying Of all laws
relating to children.
As showing the great amount of
children's legislation the bureau says
that twenty-seven states have amend
ed their provisions for dependent chill
dren; eighteen have improved their
treatment of Juvenile deliquents; six
teen have strengthened their child
labor law; fourteen have concerned
themselves with the needs of the
mentally defective or feeble-minded;
three states and the District of Co
lumbia were added to those specifcal-
ly permitting the use of public school
buildings as social centers and nine
amended or for the first time passed
a playground law; and four states
passed model vital statistics law in
which the Children's Bureau is inter-
ested because it considers complete
birth registration of fundamental i'm
portance to child welfare work.
A, few of the forty-five states made
notable advances. Alabama, for ex-
ample, whose legislature meets only
once in. four years, enacted new
child labor law, a compulsory attend
ance law, an excellent desertion and
con-support law and statewide
Juvenile court law. Florida remodelled
its treatment of juvenile delinquents
recognized the principle Of compuI-
sorry school attendance, passed the
model vital statistics law, and ap.
pointed two of the state commission
already referred to. Kansas establish,
ed an industrial commission to regu
late hours, wages and conditions o.
work for women and minors, and {
division of child hygiene in the stat
board of health; it also enacted ,
playground law and mothers pen
sion law. New Jersey and Wyomin,
passed comprehensive acts relating
to the care of dependent children ant
Pennsylvania, carefully drafted law
relating to child labor and vocationa
education.
The Children's Bureau has includes
in its review the outlying territorie
of the United States and reports tina
Alaska has forbidden the employment
of boys under 16 underground i