Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-23
MORE ASSEMBLYMEN
FOR WILMINGTON
Project Launched at Dover. But
Foundered on the Rocks in
the House.
STAFF Correspondence OF Every Evening

| IIoUSE, IJoNEh, NIdItI
In the House of Representatives
| yesterday afternoon Representative,
| Downward of Wilmington made an un-
successful effort to inauglirate move
ment looking toward the giving of Will
mIngton of larger representation in the
| General Assembly. At present the city
has only seven of the 81 members, though
the city's population is as much az that
of all the rest of the State combined.
Some days ago Representative McNabb of
Wilmington, in calling attention to this
fact, said he would be in favor Of "cecess-
sion" If the city could not get representa-
ton according to population. While
this, of course, would be impossible, it
served to emphasize the belief of the
member speaking that the city ought to
be more fully representative in the law
making body of the State.
The project was launched yesterday
afternoon when Mr.. Downward offered a
concurrent resolution recommending TO
the next Legislature the passage of a bill
increasing Wilmngtons representation
in the General Assembly.
IL object to the resolution on two
grounds" said Mr.. Burris, first, because
1t is not n war measure, and second
because it has no merit
1T has merit, said Mr. Rash, in reply,
land If the change is not made there will
he wal"
The resolution was lost by n vote of
3 to 2S, Mr.. Connolly being the only
Wilmington member To vote III the mega
tive
The House, by vote Of Is TO 9,
accepted the revised statutes committees
report on the House bill To regulate the
practice of midwifery, after which Miss
Jeanette Eckman of Wilmington, secre-
tary of the Women's Defence Council,
urged the passage of the bill. The Ma
tional Council Of Defence, she said,
considered il q war measure. The
President wants to be able TO tell Gen
Pcrshing that he can tell his men that they
need not worry about the women and
children at home, as the several States
have enacted laws Ia protect mothers
and babies. She said 955 babies under
five years Of age died in Delaware last
year and the ratio was about the same IN
" lmington, being worse than in Chicago
In 1916 75l children were born and had
only the attention of midwives The
death rate was very large The bill
preScrIbcS certain qualifications for per-
sons IN the business and would require
them to register The Women's Defence
Council stands ready to help in this
matter In the army it has been found
that the majority of defects in drafted
men could have been remedicd in infancy
The committee reported the bill "on its
merits" after which MIR Boyce said
because of the Importance OF the matter
and its bearing on the war, he thought the
restriction should be waived and final
action be taken on the bill He made
motion TO that effect.
MIR Connolly objected on the ground
that the House had once refused to accept
the report. He questioned Miss Eckman
rs to the operation of the proposed law.
The purpose, she said. was to require
midwives to register with the State Board
of Health after passing examination ON
certain qualifications. which will be taught
them II they don't already known Mr.
Connolly did not see why neighborly free
service should not be permitted Mr..
Boyce said the bill did not interfere with
that, but there could be no charge for this
service. Mr. Connolly could not sec why
II was necessary 10 require skilled quail
hcations
The House, by vote Of 20 to l3,
decided not T. permit consideration at
this time OF the bill. a two-thirds vote
being required The speaker announced
that this did not prevent consideration
later, the motion that was defeated being
to suspend q rule SO that the till could
be considered on the day il was reported
from COMMITTEES