Evening star., 1915-12-30

l |
Rumors to the effect that an effort
was to be made at this mornings ses-
sion of the. Women's Auxiliary Con-
gress of the Pan-American Scientific
congress at Memorial Continental Hall
to Introduce a resolution purposed to
commit the congress to some definite
stand on the suffrage question proved
groundless.
Immediately subsequent to the open
ing of the meeting by Mrs. Robert
Lansing. wife of the Secretary of State,
and before the chair was turned over
by her to Mrs. Albert S. Burleson, wife
| of the Postmaster General, Mrs. G. L.
Swiggett, organizing secretary of the
congress. announced that no motion of
any kind would be held to be in order
unless 1t had previously been submitted
to the executive committee and passed
upon by that body.
1t was generally understood by those
present that the announcement was
purposed to forewarn any who might
be contemplating the presenting of a
such a resolution would be laid aside
by the chairman. At all events the
warning had the effect of preventing
any action which may have been con-
/
terializing. and the opportunity for
bringing up the much discussed reso-
luton will not present itself again until
Tuesday, when the congress next meets
in formal session.
| Mrs. Lansing, when asked If there
was any established foundation for
| the. rumor, said: II know nothing
definite whatever of any such scheme.
Mrs. Swiggetts announcement was
merely intended to prevent the intro
duction before the congress of any po-
| 1itical or parliamentary considerations
which would be out of place in a meet
| ing OF this nature"
To Launch Sewing Campaign.
| During the course of the mornings
program announcement was made of
the fact that countrywide baby
sewing campaign would be launched
by the General Federation of Women's
/ Clubs during the week from March
to March II. The campaign will be
launched in conjunction with the chill
dren's bureau.
An offer. was made to provide delegates
to the congress with any data they may
desire in regard to library movements in
the United States.
| Miss Zona Gale, in an address which
she had been scheduled to deliver earlier
| in the week, but which had been post
poned until today. spoke of a great wom-
held at the close Of the present European
| conflict and of the important part which
| woman must play in the task of recon-
| struction of civilized life which will fol-
low.
Mrs. Claxton's Address.
Mrs. Philander P. Claxton addressed
| the conference on Public Libraries" a
paper in which she discussed generally
| the library movement in the United
States, with special reference to free
public libraries. She said, in part:
First of all is our great national
| library, the Library of Congress, at
Washington, D. c.. serving, as it does,
| the whole United States. 1t has 2,OO0,-
| 900 volumes on it's shelves: it is very
| beautiful architecturally, being built OF
gray granite. at cost of s7,OO0.O00.
I'm each of our forty-eight states is
large central library located in the
capital city, and called the state
library.
"There are splendid university. COL
lege and public school libraries which
are often the center of cultural activi-
| kinds of work. Some of the colleges
| and schools are now requiring the
knowledge of the use of books as a
necessary point for graduation.
THE free public library growth in
the United States in the past twenty
five years is phenomenal; the spirit is
invading every one of our cities and
towns, and even our country districts.
The hope is to bring. free of charge,
good. wholesome books to every one OF
our people.
There is no other institution just
like it, for II is non-sectarian; it is nom
political, non-partisan, and it's desire
Is to serve old as well rs young, poor
and rich alike, and to make for gen.
eral culture and uplift in the commu-
nifty in which 1t is situated"
Community's Duty to the Child.
DR.. Adah McMahan of Lafayette. Ind,
spoke on the subject of "a Commun-
itys Duty to the Child" She said, in
part:
"The child is the most helpless of all
the young of the universe. Every COM
munity must protect the child's birth
right of health by the regulation of
milk and other food supplies; proper
housing and sanitation; protection
against preventable infectious and
nutritional diseases and proper school
ing; how. st.ts county and o,t,
health officers. They combat infectious
and contagious diseases. Though we
have not centralized the control of
health departments. during the past
few years congresses of health officers
have been meeting.
1--WE have not yet achieved the high
standard of the South American repub-
lies In central state control Of the med
ical profession.
'The expectant mother engaged in
industry presents a problem. The fac
tory mother gives the highest ratio of
still-births and children who die within
one month Of birth. The foreign-b born
mother loses fewest of her children.
and Jewish children outweigh and out
class all others.
'The school. state or federal authori-
fiaa should diatrihutA to each family