The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-17
WANT new LAWS
Kansas Social Workers Ask
Legislation for Children.
Advise Establishment of Child
Research Station.
TESTS BEFORE MARRIAGE
Much Crime Is Caused by Dis.
ease, Judge Says.
e. s. Twenty Years Behind Ger.
many in Psychology.

which were recommended to be en-
bodied in proposed legislation for the
coming session of the legislature by
the children's code commission at the
morning were:
A child research station
Marriage regulation.
Mothers pensions.
County welfare boards.
A court of domestic relations.
The child research station. which
the children's code commission may
ask the legislature to establish, would
be an all-embracing method Of hand
ling the child problems of the state.
! Just as there are experiment stations
at Manhattan and Hays. Kan, for the
development and solution of matters
relating to farm products and live
stock. the child research bureau,
which would be established at the
University of Kansas, would be for the
best scientific handling and improve
ment of child life in the state. All
child problems, all perpleXities Of par
ents, all child welfare propositions
would be welcomed at the research
station. The principal purpose of the
station would be to keep children
normal and to keep them from be-
coming wards of the state.
Would Save State Money.
"The money the child research sta
ton would save the state would be
more than the station will ever cost the
state" Mrs. Frank Chase, member of
the code commission and one of the
sponsors of the research station idea,
/ said before the commission meeting at
the First Congregational church Tues
| day afternoon. ......
, DR.. S. j. Crumbine, secretary of the
state board of health, presented the
child research station plan at the pub
lie hearing of the code commission
i Tuesday morning.
1.-The court of domestic relations
presented by Judge Ralph Cav of the
Shawnee county probate court, is much
needed, according to the unanimous
opinion of the social workers confer
ence. The court could be established
and be constitutional and In harmony
with the work of the present courts
Judge Cav explained, but would offer
a much better solution of domestic
problems than the court system at
present is able to do.
4, The object of the county welfare
boards would be to enable counties n
combine in one system the work OF
the different welfare agencies now in
operation in county government. In
many counties such a board would in
ciude as members the. poor commits
sioner, the Juvenile probation officers
the truancy officer, the county physi-
clan and the county nurse. In a rural
county the functions of the board
would be combined in the person OF
trained social worker, as a superin-
tendent of public welfare.
Provisions in requested marriage
regulation legislation would include re-
quired physical and mental tests be-
fore marriage is permitted. Mothers
pensions are not allowed effectively ir
Kansas and such provision should be
strengthened, the workers agreed.
Disease Causes Crime.
''In the municipal court of Chicago
, we find that hundreds of criminals are
SO affected by mental disease thai
: their crime was caused by the disease,
was the statement of Judge Harry OIL
; son of Chicago, before the Kansa.
: Conference of Social Work today
Judge Olson has been a judge in tn.
Chicago court for fifteen years.
? Thru our psychopathic Laboratory
We are not surprised to find that al
2 ignorant negro may pass a test, whil'
: an educated boy may fail" Judge oil
} son declared. The principal though
: criminals should be based upon psy
! Geological diagnosis, and that doctor
should be required TO have a thor
education9in psychology.
We Are Behind Germany.
sour country is twenty years behint
Germany in the study of psychology,
Judge Olson said
A division of the Chicago court i
g known as "the court of domestic rela
= tions." and. according to Judge Olson
is greater in its accomplishment thai
. any other branch of the court work.
9 I'VE look for the foundation of al
y troubles in the family" he said.
II The court of domestic relations" a
q outlined by Judge Olson is similar Il
or IN advocated
Kansas by Judge Ralph Cav of tn
e Shawnee county probate court
= Judge Olson n Knnsan.
S Judge Olson is a speaker who inter
: ests Kansas both because of his prom
:, inence and because of the fact that h
K is a Kansan. Altho he has been ava
e from the state for twenty-five years
I he spent his youth in st. Marys, Kan
and attended Washburn college 70
two years.
Ex-Governor Martin Brumbaugh. o
q Pennsylvania. in speaking before tn
!. conference Tuesday afternoon. stresse
{ the value of physical education as
measure of social work.
Defects Can Be Corrected.
I'VE had a nation with one-third G
the manhood impaired for service dur
ing the war because of physical de
fects," he said. TT is we'll known I
us that ninety per cent of these phys
, cal defects are entirely corrective
. supervision is given the child earl
enough in life
e Speakers This Afternoon.
!, The afternoon session will be az
!, dressed by Prof r. A Schwegle
"a president of the Kansas Society
= Mental Hygiene: by Samuel T. Ortol
- NJ D., director of the Iowa Stai
Psychopathic hospital. Iowa City. Ia
=, by Mrs. Austin Cowan OF Wichita; d
- Karl A. Menninger of Topeka: Pro
,e J. C. De Voss. Emporia: Prof. F. '
- Blackmar, Lawrence. a-d DR. FlorenS
Brown Sherbon. Topeka
r Use Common Sense.
Common sense will do much towaI