Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-10-27
SENATOR HARDING
PROPOSES Welfare
POST IN CABINET
Tells $4,000 Women He Favors
Department in Defense OF
Mothers, Childhood and
Public Health
TO ADVANCE SOCIAL JUSTICE.
Emphasizes Need of Safeguard
ing Women on American Farms.
Stands for Enforcement OF Law

|
Marion, O.-The creation of Fed
eral Department of Public Welfare 70
function in defense OF maternity, child
hood and public health was proposed
by Senator Harding in a speech on so
cial justice TO 5000 women who came
to his front porch from all points Of
the compass.
Such a department, said Senator
Harding, must "avoid the fearful re
suits of bureaucracy. There can be
no more efficient way of advancing
humanitarian program he said, than
by adapting the machinery of our Fed
eral Government to the purposes we
| desire TO attain. While others may
/ have their eyes fixed upon some par
ticular piece of legislation or more par
ticular policy Of social justice which
calls for the sympathetic interest of US
all, say, without hesitation, that
our primary consideration must be the
machinery Of administration, and that
| when the time comes for US to re-
organize our administrative govern
ment in Washington we must all stand
| together for the creation OF a Depart
nlent of Public Welfare
81 pledge myself today" he said, ito
support with all that is I'm me whatever
practical policy of social welfare and
social justice can be brought forward
by tie combined wisdom of all Ameri-
cans. Nothing can concern Americn,
and nothing can concern me as an
| American, more deeply than the
health. the happiness and the enlight-
eminent Of every fellow American.
Must Avoid Paternalism.
1.-THE social justice that conceive is
not paternalism. II would be easy to
make IL so, and dangerous indeed to
| the best spirit that Americans can
hnve-the spirit of expressing by the
Individual free will ones own merits,
capacity and worth We do not want
government to suppress that express
sion of free will. even by benevolence.
but we do mean 10 preserve I'm Ameri-
ca an equal opportunity and a pre-
paredness for seIf-expression therein,
even though we use the government
to do f.
81 believe that there IS no step more
practical, no step which will mean
more TO the growth OF Americas so
cial welfare; no step which will guar
nntee better Americas social justice.
than one which 1 propose TO you
Dangers to Be Avoided.
al have no doubt that there will be
some who will find In this proposal
cause for calling me an extremist, but
when we have a task TO do, which has
been dictated by our conscience and
approved by our wisdom, let US
straightway find the way to do II.
do not say this without a word Of
caution. ] recognize certain dangers
which are always presented when gov
ernmeRt undertakes large and detailed
tasks"
Tasks of Social Justice.
Senator Harding pointed out the
necessity of going forward upon
sure footing and declared:
when making the proposal for a
department of public welfare 10
America, / am aware that have made
step In advance OF any platform.
I'VE all know that we face tasks of
social justice, which we must under
take with dispatch and efficiency. Who
can suggest one of these tasks which
can supersede in our hearts. or In the
rank which foresight and wisdom will
give that of the protection of our ma
ternity?
The protection of the motherhood
Of America can not be accomplished
until the state and the nation have en-
acted and, by their example. have en-
forced customs, which protect WON
anhood itself know full well that
there arc women who Insist that WON
en- shall be treated upon the same
basis that men are treated"
Senator Harding discussed the need
OF adequate protection for women In
industry and expressed his belief in
the wisdom of an eight-hour day for
women workers. He emphasized the
need of safeguarding the women on
American farms He proposed putting
the -Chiidren's Bureau under the suS-
Eested Department of Public Welfare,
and urged prevention of abuses Of
child labor.
Il must not fall" Senator Harding
went on, ito speak to you today of one
OF the measures Of social justice and
social welfare not often catalogued In
this manner, but perhaps more iinpor-
tant than any we have considered. /
refer to the enforcement of law. II
Will not be my business when elected
to decide what laws shall be. 1t will
be legitimate for me to invoke public
opinion for their enactment, but such
call TO public opinion must be based
more upon the duty of the Executive
Of the nation to give facts to the PEG
pie than upon his desire to give opin
lon. theory and propaganda. The en-
forcement Of the law Is an Executive
responsibility and must be under
taken by the Executive without regard
for his personal approval or disap
prevail Of The law, which Ii has beer
the peoples will to enact"