The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-31
WILL OFFER MANY
HEALTH MEASURES
Members of Legislature Have
Score of Bills Ready.
ASK NURSING ON FIRMER BASIS
State Department of Health Leads
Move-Nurses May Have TO Regis
ter With Board If Proposed
Bill Is Approved.

Madison. Almost a score of pub
lie health bills will be offered in the
legislature this year. Many of them
have already been presented. The
state department of health is making
q concerted move TO place public
health nursing in Wisconsin on firm
er basis. A bill offered by Assembly
man Young of Walworth county au-
thorizes the employment of public
health nurses by any city, village or
township, or by two or more such mu-
inequalities Jointly. Senator Pullen
Will offer q bill which requires the
registration of all public health nurses
with the state board of health.
AssembIyman Whiteside of Portage
county has prepared a measure which
gives the state power to regulate the
travel of persons from community
where an epidemic of communicable
disease exists. The states Of New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Connecticut already have such laws
and should there be an outbreak of In
fantile paralysis in Wisconsin next
summer the measure, If enacted, Will
be put into effect. If this bill is enact
ed it is expected to Obviate the neceS-
sity Of quarantining an entire munich
pality for infantile paralysis or other
contagious diseases which exist in cpl
demic form.
That the states of Wisconsin and
Minnesota should cooperate in making
survey of their undeVeloped re-
sources and legislation along this line
will be offered before the legislature
at the present session, was the declara-
ton of Senator A. II. Wilkinson of
bayfield, county in an interview.
1t is proposed by Senator Wilkinson
that these states appoint a joint COM
mittee, each state being equally repre-
scented, to make a survey of their I'M
developed resources, working in con-
nection with the immigration depart
ments, agricultural colleges and other
agencies already created, which when
completed would give a clear under
standing Of a subject now misunder-
stood This to be followed by an &C
tive campaign, calling the attention OF
investors and hOme-seekerS to the op-
pOrtunities found, and securing II pos
sible cooperation of transportation
companies and newspapers in making
the campaign effective.
''By the states consolidating their
interests it would save duplication of
effort and bring quicker results than
can be obtained in any other way"
said Senator Wilkinson. ut is be-
neved that the transportation com
panies would more readily assist in an
effort of this kind, as nearly all of the
middle western railroads are equally
interested in the three states rather
than in any one This aid is important
If one takes into consideration the vast
influence that railroads exert in NOV
ing immigration.
THE purpose is to make complete
and effective campaign Of education,
gathering and dispensing reliable and
accurate information concerning the
whole territory, and adjust so far as
possible the determinations now d.
rected against these states, which
comes largely from d misunderstood
condition"
Insurance Commissioner Cleary is
having a bill drafted which will not
only give a clearer definition Of what
q group insurance is, but which will
also give the stare more control In reg
ulating this kind of insurance. The
bill which Cleary plans to have intro
duced states that individuals covered
under a group insurance policy must
all be employed by the same employer.
1t will also provide that the premium
charged must be based on some recog-
nized total, and that individuals COW
cred will be entitled to continue their
policy If they are for any reason re-
leased from employment. At present.
as explained by Cleary, an employee
covered by group policy is only pro
tected while he is working for the firm
which originated the policy.
Governors Program Presented.
Governor Philips program Of leg
islative recommendations has been
presented to the legislature, with two
exceptions. The bin providing for the
increases in the Workmen's compensa-
ton schedule, as recommended by the
executive, viii not be offered until the
middle of February. It's provisions
are to be made the subject Of a big
conference here of manufacturers, Ia
boring men and members of industrial
organizations. Those increases in
schedules which can be agreed upon