New Britain herald., 1919-02-01

there is a new generation, strong and lusty, full of life and character. They can very we'll be trusted to do their best for Britain when the time comes.
 Our duty, I think, Is not so much to
 look after the legislation for the fu'
 ture, but to look after the legislators
 of the future-to give them the best
 chance possible. whatever their posi-
 tion In life, in the two essentials of
 education and health.
 The first duty of the ministry of health then will be to get into touch
 with existing organizations, put tho infant welfare movement, with all it's multifarious branches of activity, on 6
 better financial foundation, and to wage an intense health propaganda throughout the country. It will teach the people. by public lectures, mothers meetings and by talks within their homes, the value of fresh air, we'll cooked food and cleanliness. They will be taught that, at all times, prevention is better than prescription: that healthy conditions of life are of more value than patent medicines. and that ignorance is criminal.
 Major General Sir Bertram Dawson has outlined a sketch of what the health center in a small town might be like in operation. This is, of course, a picture of an actively administrative ministry of health;
 "Tt would comprise consulting rooms, examining rooms, minor opera Ia tory, provision for nurses, room for notes and records, and adjacent to it 8 common room for the six doctors of the town. Tn the proximity would be the hospital, baths and other remedial equipments, and the centers for mar ternity care, infant welfare and school hygiene etc. Rather more remote would be the covered and open grounds for physical culture, and adjacent to these the playing grounds
 This, indeed, sounds rosy, but not too rosy to be real. The ministry of health, properly conducted, should be the greatest organization for good that our country has ever known. It should be highly suggestive and in- formative and should inspire every de- partment of public life with new power and vigor It should be the clearing house for knowledge.
 "Fairer, Better Britain"
 But" and now Lady Rhondda rose, her eyes glowing, i've must have ths right people for the work. A depart ment like this cannot be run by the ordinary civil servant. -re must have men and women inspired ny a holy pas sion of service to humanity--deter- mined to leave the world better place than they found 1t. We must have ! posts in the health ministry we'll paid so that 1t will attract men and women of the highest intellectual power. Vir' tue is its own reward, but only in a sense. Many women with a real love for nursing and public health work cannot take up these things because the remuneration is so low; they can not afford to.
 "Well, we want our people to have sympathy for those with whom they come into contact; we want them to have love and enthusiasm for the work, to be single-minded and passion. ate in their desire to sweep away dis. ease. And the best way to insure these qualifications is to pay them we'll for their services. To do so is cheaper in the long run; it makes a keener and more enthusiastic department when it's officers are content
 T think there Is little doubt now that the great dream of my fathers life will become 8 working and benehcent reality--and that very soon. The establishment of a ministry of health should do much more even than l have outlined here. It should bring nearer that fairer, better Britain to which we are all looking forward so eagerly now that peace has come.
 And, above all, it should give to even the poorest little child in these realms a fighting chance for life, health and happiness"