New Britain herald., 1918-03-08
WAR SPEAKERS AT
 CONFERENCE HERE Men and Women of National Reputation Coming Next Month CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS W. Frank Persons and Harris w. Stin- son, Officially Connected With Gov
 ernment Activities, Two of Most
 Prominent on Program.
CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS

Men and women of national repu- tation have been secured to speak at the Connecticut State Conference on Charities and Corrections which will be held in this city on Sunday, Mon day and Tuesday, April 21, 22 and 23. Conditions brought about by the war will be the main themes of all speakers, many of whom are in close touch with the government and who are active aids of the nation in prose- cutting the war in the Regiments Be- hind the Lines.''
 w. Frank Persons, director-gen- eral of civilian relief of the Amer ican Red Cross, with headquarters at Washington, D. C., will open the convention with an address at a, pub lie mass meeting in the Russwin Ify- ceum on Sunday, April 21. It has been decided to hold the meeting in the afternoon. MT. Persons has an intimate knowledge of the war gleaned by contact with the gigantic problem of civilian relief and the conference considered itself fortu- nate to secure his services, as his po- SitiOn requires almost his undivided attention Efforts will be made to secure, as an additional speaker Rev. Dr. o. s. Davis, former pastor of the South Congregational church, who is expected to be in this vicin- ity about that time. Those in charge hestated to invite a clergyman to speak for fear the proceedings might assume religious, or worse, a de- nomination flavor, but they decided that pr. Davis was so we'll known in 4J,ic tI,3+ 1o1Ir, pleased to hear him.
 Training Camp Activities.
 The recreation division of the con- ference will have charge of the eve- ming meeting, the place for which has not been selected. Harris w. Stfn- son, a member of the war depart ment committee on training camp activities, will be the speaker This meeting should be of special interest to mothers and fathers who have sons
 in the military service as MT Stinson will tell what is being done to pro- vide healthy and moral recreation for the soldiers and sailors. Walter Camp, formerly one of Yale's greatest athletes, is deeply interested in this work
 Dr. F'rankwood E.. Williams, chair man of the national committee on mental hygiene, will speak Monday morning at the meeting in charge of the mental hygiene division. Dr. Williams has been appointed by the government as the director of mental examinations in army camps. Amer ica is making every effort to weed out mental defectives from military service and to maintain the mental strength of those wearing uniforms. This task has become one of gigantic due directly to the war and it's wor- ries, has greatly increased. Previous to the war the rate of mental defec- tiveness was three in 1000, but it has now increased to ten in 1000, as many minds have been strained by con- stant brooding and thinking of tho war and it's horrors
 States Responsibility to Children.
 A subject that hits nearer home will be dealt with by C. V. Williams, di- rector of the childrcn's welfare depart n1cnt of the state board of charities in Ohio. His topic will be the States Responsibility in the Care of Chil- dren." The meeting will be under the auspices of the children's department of the state conference.
 T. Prentice Murphy, of Boston. gen oral secretary of the Boston Children's
 (Continucd On Ninth page).