Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-02-05
BUREAU FOR FARM WOMEN
rlrs. Belle v. D. Harbert Back of
Bill introduced In Congress to
Aid Those In Country

Washington. Feb. IA Colorado
woman. Mrs. Belle van Doran Har-
bert of Manzanola. is the moving
power behind the bill which Repre-
sentative Keating introduced last
week in congress providing for the
establishment of farm women's bu-
reau in the department of agricul-
ture.
The bill. in part, follows:
This bureau may call upon the
bureau of public health service and
the hygienic laboratory for any as
sistance in planning the sanitation
and hygiene. of rural homes and for
Information concernig care of in
fants, nursing and other subjects re-
lated to the activities of said bu-
reau; and said bureau of public
health and said hygienic laboratory
are hereby authorized to render such
assistance and information
This bureau shall assist in the or
ganization of farm women into clubs
of ten or more, for the purpose of
studying the problems of the farm.
and to this end advantage may be
taken of the publications prepared
by the federal and state. governments,
lecture programs. laboratory demon
STATIONS, lantern slides and so forth,
| ty and state agents.
This bureau shall cooperate with
| the bureau OF education in working
toward the consolidation of rural
schools, the formation of social CEN
tiers in rural districts, and with the
extension departments of the various
agricultural colleges in the establish
ment of circulating libaries and pro-
noting courses for home study by
farm women"
That this bureau prepare data
for the use OF farm women, inform
ing them where and how to procure
bulletins giving the result OF the ag-
ricultural departments investigations
in regard to balanced rations, scien-
titc preparation of food. compare
tive cost OF food, and farm home
economy.
That the secretary of agriculture
is hereby directed to appoint as the
head of this bureau woman who
has the requisite educational qualifi-
cations, and who has had at least
ten years practical experience as a
home-makcr on the farm
That there is hereby appropriat-
ed out OF any money in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated, availa-
BILE until expended, the sum of $780,
900. to enable the secretary of agri-
culture to make such investigations.
to collect such data. and to use such
methods and means as he may deem
necessary to carry out the provisions
OF this act
Mr.. Keating has given out the fol-
lowing statement explaining the pur-
poses OF the bill:
Il introduced the bill to establish
hpr ,,,
partment OF agriculture at the sug-
gestion OF Mrs Belle van Doran
Harbert. president OF the Interna-
| tional Congress OF Farm Women
Mrs. Harbert lives at Manzanola.
Colo, and is. therefore. resident OF
my congressional district. She is
woman OF marked ability and she has
pressed the work OF the Congress
OF Farm Women until the organiza-
ton now carries more than 10000
members on its rolls.
The bill was drafted by a COM
mittce representing Mrs. Harbert's
Organization. ! made very few
changes in it, as ! wished the farm
women of the country to make their
appeal to congress in their own lam
guagc. This is the first thing the
farm women of the country, as a
body. has ever requested OF the ma
tional legislature.
| For years the department of ag-
riculture has been busy trying to ed
ucate the farmer to increase the pro-
duction of his farm, but very little
has been heard about helping the
farm women to solve the vexing
questions of rural sanitation heat.
light, power for household use.
feeding, clothing and nursing the
growing family.
The farm women want head
quarters established in the depart
ment OF agriculture for scientific |
research along the lines mentioned |
above. They want it brought close
to the farm women by having one
OF their members as its head-a |
woman who has had practical exper-
ience as housekeeper on the farm.
They would like to feel that they
could get the same amount of atten-
ton when asking how to feed,
clothe and nurse their children as
their husbands get when they in
quire about some disease which
threatens their stock"