Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-12
|Life'sProblems
Are Discussed
BY Mrs. Wilson Woodrow


Ever since my article on "A
Clearing House for Hearts" was
published there has been one steady
flow of letters on the subject.
Some of these letters are so inter
esting and so full of entertaining
and valuable ideas that | feel they
should be given in full Here is one
from q prominent attorney in Chi
cago:
Dear Madam-Your article in
this evenings paper is very inter
esting. and the suggestion of
Clearing House for Hearts is good
one. The only criticism / have to
make Is that the whole matter is one
for the Federal Government to un-
dertake, and not states or munich
palities. For many years ! have
marvelled that no statesman ever
thought of suggesting some such
plan for conservation of citizenship.
Why the government should give so
much money, skill and thought to
cultivating cereals, hogs, ct cetera,
should support and maintain De-
partment of Agriculture to look after
these things, and yet pay no thought
whatever to the welfare of its citi-
zens, has been wonder to me these
many years.
"A Department of Welfare, pre-
sided over by Cabinet Minister
would pay for itself many times
over, and in time would overshadow
all the rest of the Administration in
importance. This Secretary of We'll
fare ought to be elected directly by
the people. and be free from the infiu-'
ence of politicians. In this way he
I'D be free to devise ways and
means OF really benetiting the peo-
pie,
Let one of his tasks be to de-
wise ways and means of making it
easy to do right and hard to do
wrong" Gladstone said this was
the function of all government.
Under this heading let him bring
about the enactment of laws requir-
ing all females before being given
a license to marry to produce Ger
tificate that they are fully capable
of keeping house. I don't believe
many people have given this matter
any attention, but If you stop to re-
fleet you'll admit that the great ma
jority of homes are mismanaged in
some way. There would be no need
of this Government preaching econ
omy now If this were not true.
Among the poor people you Will
find the greatest trouble in this re-
spect. The very poor and the very
their substance.
"In the homes of the very poor.
however, it results in much misery
and the propagation of misery. l
haven't the time to expand these
ideas here and now. You are a
wonderful writer and undoubtedly
can do it much better than l can,
but don't let that suggestion about
requiring housekeeping cerhhcates
get away from you. Ponder over it,
and l believe you'll enthuse over 1t.
And, too, study the relative merits
- Federal control of the Clearing
House for Hearts versus state or
municipal control.
Were all Americans, not Illinois
ians. New Workers, etc, and any
thing or any movement VitaIly anect.
ing the building of citizenship ought
to be controlled by the Federal
Government"
And this is letter signed "a Man
in Uniform" and written on the sta
tionery of the Army and Navy Y. NJ.
c. A
Dear Madam-You bring up the
interesting question of a Clearing
House of Friendship for Young
People. l wish we could have such
institutions in all our large cities.
for l am sure that many young men
when they get into trouble the first
time do so because they are lone
some. But I don't believe it is feas-
ible or desirable to form clubs where
young people may be introduced to
each other, even in democratic
America. The objections need not
be stated, they are sound and suffi-
cient
s'sWhat I should like to see is