The daily morning oasis., 1918-09-29
The work Of children's year is prov


mothers are as eager as the native
mothers, if not more so, to learn all
they can about the proper care of their
children.
The Japanese women of Seattle are
asking for pamphlets on prenatal care,
the Italian women of Wallace, Idaho,
1000 strong, have arranged to study
a standard book on the care and feed
ing of children, with the aid Of an in
terpreter The foreign mothers of the
remote numbering regions of Washing
ton and of the manufacturing cities of
New England are united by the COM
mon desire to learn everything pos
sible about safeguarding the health of
their children.
This desire is resulting in the break
ing down of the barriers of alien Ian
guage and old-world superstition that
have long stood in the way of the
health Of little Americans born of for
eign parents. 1t has been necessary in
many cities to employ interpreters at
the weighing and measuring centerS to
answer the questions of mothers who
do not speak English. Glasses In the
care Of baby being conducted In Sc
attic and Pittsburg are made means
of teaching mothers to speak and read
English.
Perhaps the most important educa-
tional measure that has been adopted
Is the provision of public health
nurses whose function 1t is not only to
give care and service to the sick but
to advise mothers how to keep their
children well. As result of Chill
dren's year activities many communi-
ties have succeeded in obtaining pub
lie or private funds for public health
nursing. Wisconsin has adopted the
slogan, "a Public Health Nurse for
Every County" and in Washington
state an active campaign for school
nurses Is being carried on.
The work of the state councils of de-
Tense has been so valuable to the
country that it has drawn public COM
mendation from President Wilson with
an accompanying suggestion that It's
unique and widespread organization be
utilized by all government departments
and agencies so far as practical.
Secretary Baker. chairman of the
council of national defense, which
brought the state councils into exist
ence, reported to the president: 1T is
difficult to estimate the Importance Of
the service rendered, since our en-
trance into the war, by these state
councils, their county councils and the
multitude of workers banded together
under them, whom we estimate to
number at least one million. l feel
sure that you, Mr.. President, as their
commander In chief, will be proud of
their unique contribution in the war
and will use your authority to broaden
the scope of their activities as condi-
lions permit so that they may go on
to still greater achievements"
The state councils, says Secretary
Baker, have active county, or equiva-
lent, councils of defense under them.
while in nearly every state the organ
ization of community councils in the
school districts, bringing the govern
ment to the people and the people to
the government, is progressing rapid
| ly.
The president replied: II shall be
glad to have you express to the state
councils my appreciation of the serv-
ice they have so usefully rendered. l
am. particularly struck by the value OF
extending our defense organization In
to the smallest communities and by
the truly democratic character OF q
national system so organized. l be-
lieve in the soundness of your conten-
ton that in the interest OF economy
and efficiency such machinery az that
provided by the state council system
for the execution of many kinds OF
war work should be utilized as far as
possible by federal departments and
administrations"
recent proclamation by President
Wilson puts into effect provisions OF
the shipping act making it impossible
for foreign interests to obtain control
of American shipping or shipyards.
Chairman Edward N. Hurley of the
shipping board explains that the new
law provides that during war or ma
tional emergency proclaimed by the
president, it is a criminal offense to
sell, mortgage, lease or deliver an
American ship to a foreigner without
the consent of the shipping board, OF
to make any agreement by which con
troll Of a ship is turned over to Tor
eigner. The prohibition applies not
only to completed ships, but to ships
under construction.
It is made Illegal, without the
boards consent, to make any CONTRACT
for ship construction for foreign ac
count, unless the contract expressly
proyides that construction on the shiI
shall not begin until after the war OF
the emergency has ended. Shipyards
also, cannot be transferred to foreign
ers without the consent of the ship
ping board.
The act has provisions which 1t Il
believed will prevent all attempts tt
eyade the ship-transfer sections OF th'
law by means of dummy directors ant
stockholders in corporations nominal!
American but actually dominated D.