The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-12-13
WOMAN'S BILL
TO BENEFIT HOME
First Proposal of Americas
Newest Voters Made Behalf
Mothers and Babies.
BUT FOUR MILLION ASKED
Polls of Congress Favorable
Suffrage in Other Nations
Brought Such Law.
lay DAVID IAWRENcEA
(BY DAVID lAWRENCEA

Washington, Dec. 1S.-(Copyrigh
Tor The Chattanooga News )--Wher
the American woman left cher place
In the home" on election day she
paved the way for the adoption of a
piece OF legislation that will do more
Tor the home. perhaps. than any one
law in American history.
Early next week congress will con-
slider the first legislative proposal
made by the women of America since
! universal suffrage was granted. Not
! only have the women done the un
precedented thing of asking for Il
relatively insignificant appropriation
| only $4,000 000--but they have
pointed out how that s4,000,0O0 can he
Of as much or more benefit to the
| American nation than any other
| $4,000, 900 in the whole federal budget
of $4,O0o,000OO0.
Briefly, tho women ask that the
federal government, in cooperation
with the states of the Union, shall
educate young mothers in the ma
ternity period so that they will not
only have the proper knowledge or
hygiene before and after the birth OF
their children, but in needy cases
nurses and physicians shall he ready
to come to their aid instantly. Not
only have some pitiful cases of neg
lect, in country districts especially,
come to the attention of the women
who have investigated these ques-
tions. but statistics show that Amer
lea lost $50, 900 infants last year, or
total of 10000 n month. most OF whom
might have been saved by proper at
tention. Indeed, in 1918, $4,000 moth
ers died from causes that could have
been prevented. Fully so per cent. az
the cases investigated show that lack
of care was the principal reason 'st
death. I
U. S. Stands fourteenth in List.
America has been far behind in this
kind of social legislation. The United
States stands fourteenth in the list
of civilized countries which have
taken up the problem. New Zealand.
which has had woman suffrage LONGER
than any other country, stands Mt the
top of the list and has greatly re-
duced her infant mortality.
Great Britain also has been in the
front rank in this movement
The Sheppard Towner bill, pre-
pared by Senator Sheppard, Of Texas
a democrat. and Representative Tow
ner of Iowa, republican, would ap-
propriate $2,000,000 at first, but with
provision to increase 1t annually till
it reaches 100000, and the states
of the Union would be asked to APP
propriate dollar for dollar in the same |
way that the fedei ! government and
the states have co-operated in build |
ing roads It Is not compulsory-a |
state may decline to cooperate. but |
not many Of them will re-
fuse.
Senate committee on public health
has reported the bill favorably and Sem
ator Kenyon, who has charge OF the
agricultural bill being discussed in
the senate, has promised to give way
for consideration of the Towner Shep-
pard measure so that 1t will get prompt
attention. The women insist that I'M
less they get action this session, pre-
'erahly next week, there will not be
another opportunity to get the matter
before various state legislatures until
923 as some of them meet only once
,very two years, and usually during
January and February, so that post
Donement of this subject until the eX-
ra session Of congress In the spring
would be hurtful to the cause. The
women leaders declare that 100000
leaths is too much to allow delaY--it
s three times the number Of casual
les on the American front during the
var.
And therefore the leaders in the
movement are not disposed to brook in
lefinite delay
Details Explained.
When women were enfranchised and
he activities of the suffrage leaders
vere recognized as having come to an
md, everybody wondered in what di-
ection the energies of the leaders
would go Eleven national woman's
,rganiza lions have gotten together
md with a Joint legislative committee
lere they have quietly polled members