Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-04-01
MORE MONEY ASKED
FORFEEBLE MINDED
Legislature Urged to Increase
Appropriation.
JVER $4,000 CASES IN STATE
Judge Stevens of Madison, in State
ment Sent to SoIons, Says $500
Persons Are in Need of Insti-
tutional Care.

Madison.-By appeals through let
tiers and petitions the Wisconsin leg
islature is being called upon THIS
week to increase the appropriation for
the care of the feeble-minded so that
the multiplying population from this
class may be abated. Heading the
committee asking for an Increase OF
appropriation is Judge E. Ray Stevens,
Madison.
Everything vital TO your interest is
being neglected in Wisconsin" says
the statement of Judge Stevens sent to
the legislative body. WISCONSIN has
more than 1900 feeble-minded. At
least $500 of these should have insti-
tutiOnal care. They are costing the
state approximately $500.000 a year in
crime and 100000 in pauperism.
1.-THE superintendent of the state
home for the feeble-minded has reject
ed 1000 of certified imbecility because
of lack of room. The capacity of the
two homes for the Predetermined, the
one at Chippewa Falls and the other
at Union Grove, is only 1900.
1.-THE feeble-minded usually inter
marry. They average seven to eight
children, while normal families aver
age from three to four. There is no
chance for normal offsprings from two
feeble-minded parents.
Unless Wisconsin provides ade-
quate institutional care for the feeble
D,ip6od ~ will ooptiDno fn no MANAGED
by the rapid increase of feeble-minded
persons, with an ever-increasing cost
to the state.
"Why hesitate to spend $125,O0O a
year to check menace which is actu-
| ally costing the state $4,000 year?
Is this good business"
The social legislative committee Of
! the Wisconsin state conference of so
cial work is composed Of: Judge E.
Ray Stevens circuit court, Madison,
chairman; Miss Edith Foster, Juvenile
| Protective association, Milwaukee ;
Judge A. C. Hoppman, superior court,
Madison; Miss Evelyn Johnson, Wis
| consin Anti-TubefculoSis association,
Milwaukee; Mrs. L. NJ. Rosing, central
council of social agencies, Milwaukee !;
Mrs. Edwin Thompson, secretary wom-
ans committee state council Of de-
Tense, La Crosse; Mr.. L. NJ. Prince.
state home for dependent children.
| Sparta, and Mrs. X. L. VanWyck, AS
ISOLATED Charities, Milwaukee.
There was no opposition at the hear
| ing of Senator Albert ]. Pullen's bill
| authorizing the commissioner of agri-
| culture to appoint a state humane
| agent to superintend and assist in the
| organization of county humane SOcie-
| ties. The bill provides an annual ap-
preparation of $1,000 for the expenses
of the department.
Mr.. Pullen who is president of the
Fond du Lac County Humane society,
| declared that the passage of the bill
would mean that the finances collect
! ed would double if not treble the
amount of the appropriation the first
year. He said that only IS of the II
! counties now have humane societies
and that there is room for a great deal
of missionary work.
Senator Clair Bird of Wausau APP
peared before the senate recOnstruc-
| ton committee in support of his bill
relating to the construction of com
munity houses. He states, however,
| that since he had drafted the bill he
saw several places where some minor
| amendments would strengthen it and
| asked to have the matter laid over I'M
til he can prepare the amendments.
The request was granted.
Revival of the fight for four-year
medical course in the university is her.
aided by a bill in the senate which re-
| pealS the two-year limitation now inn
posed, and provides that the course
shall embrace such additional branches
as the regents may determine. An eff
fort made at the last session to
broaden the course was defeated.
The state life fund will be made the
medium for soldiers insurance if an
amendment to the Masiakowski bill to
create a corps of state agents and so
licitors is approved by the legislature
That the state life fund will be con-
tinued was indicated when the assem-
bly, refused to pass a bill TO abolish it.
ASsemblyman CzerwinSki offered the
amendment for. soldiers Insurance 1t
provides that the agents shall make a
particular effort to induce soldiers,
sailors and marines who are residents
of the state to convert their army in
Suranca into state life nOliciPS The
amendment places a $4,000 limit on
policies.