Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-18
CiUic Welfare
Workers FAVOR
Defense Plans
National Civic Federation
Opens Sixteenth Annual
Meeting in Washington With
Many Delegates Present
CRx Associated Press.)

/ WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Nation
al Civic Federation opened its sixteenth
annual meeting today with prominent
civic welfare workers from throughout
the coutry present Subjects for discus
sion included preparedness. immigration.
government regulations OF private in
dustry and other problems. The woman's
section of the federation opened a sep
arste two days meeting.
National preparedness featured to-
days program. which was given over
/ largely to presentation of committee re-
ports.
Seth Low. of New York. president Of
/ the federation. sounded the first note on
preparedness when, in his openig adj
dress. he declared that if the United
States to prevent the 'antagonisms and
hates of Europe and its age-long tradi-
tion Of empire" from finding Judgment
on this continent after the war. il must
be by the stregth of its own right arm
and by the willingness 30 die for what
is certainly precious to ourselves and
for what we believe TO be no less pre-
fcious to humanity.
Dir. Low said he favored the admins
tration defense plan, not because he
thought It ideally perfect but because
il was a long step in the right direc-
tion.
Personally" continued Mr.. Low, II
believe that short service under the
colors on the Swiss system modified,
perhaps. to meet our conditions, should
be required of every young man in the
United States and that we should no
longer depend upon a army which, as in
England, strengthens the view that ii is
the business of a few to protect ALL
rather than The business of all to pro-
tect each other" Mr.. Low expressed the
hope, however, that the time would come
when there would be mot only an inter
national court with power somewhere
to enforce its international body for the
adoption OF internatioal law"
WOMAN FOR DEFENSE.
ANY plan of military preparedness
which makes the flag under which we
live the emblem of our life, our all, and
not a rag with which to protect the
corpse from which the spirit has ned,
I welcome" declared Miss Maude Wet
more, of Rhode Island, In presenting the
report of the woman's department. Pre-
| paredness against war concerns the
women" she said. "They are the ones
who carry the heayy burdens OF ca
tsstrophe."
The great assistance rendered by the
federation to legislators in planning
drafts of compensation laws was indi-
Gated by August Belmont. OF New York,
| in his report on the years activities
| OF the workmen's compensation depart
| ment.
A bitter subject of dispute, he said.
is whether private insurance or state
managed insurance Is better. THE ex-
l tent to which the workmen gain from
| the compensation law" he continued.
may be illustrated by the fact that 1t
/ is reported that the net payments to
wage earners under employers liability
I in Massachusetts, in 1911 were estimat-
/ ed at less than 100000, of which a
large proportion probably went TO their
attorneys: whereas under the workmen's
1 compensation law in 1913 s1,677,3SO was
paid out in actual losses to wage earn
ers."
A. J. Porter. chairman Of the mini
mum wage commission. recommended
that the department of labor and COM
merce make joint investigation of the
| relation of labor to the location of in
dustries. and the effect of legislation on
behalf of women and children on indus
| tries and workers.