Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-11
WOMEN PRESS BILL
TO HELP MOTHERS
First Legislation Fostered by
New Voters Expected to Be
Passed in Congress.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

When the American woman left her
place in the home on election day she
paved the way for the adoption Of q
piece Of legislation that will do more
!or the home perhaps than any one law
IN American history. Early next week
Congress win consider the first Iegisla-
tive proposal made by the women Of
granted. Not only have the women done
the unprecedented thing Of asking for q
relatively insignificant appropriation
only $4,000.000-but they have pointed
out how that 100000 dollars can be Of
as much or more benefit to the Ameri-
can nation as any other 100000 In
the whole federal budget Of $4,000.000.-
900.
Briefly, the women ask that the fed
eral government, in cooperation with
the states Of the Union, shall educate
young mothers in the maternity period,
SO that they viii not only have the
proper knowledge Of hygiene, before and
after the birth Of their children. but in
needy cases nurses and physicians shall
be ready to come to their aid instantly.
Pitiful Cases OF Neglect.
Some pitiful cases Of neglect In
country districts especially come to
the attention Of the women who have
Investigated these questions, and sta
tistics show that America lost $780,
900 infants last year. or total of
10000 a month, most of whom might
have been saved by proper attention.
Indeed in 1918, $4,000 died from causes
that could have been prevented.
Fully 80 per cent of the cases investi-
gated in different cities show that
lack Of care was the principal reason
for death.
America has been Tar 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 suf-
frage longer than any other country,
stands at the top of the list and has
greatly reduced her infant mortality.
Great Britain also has been in the
front rank in this movement
The Sheppard Towner bill. prepared
by Senator Sheppard of Texas, demo-
crat, and Representative Towner Of
81, O00, 900 at first, but with provision to
increase it annually until it reaches
81 OO0, 900, and the states of the Union
would be asked to appropriate dollar
for dollar in the same way that the fed
eral government and the states have CO.
operated in building roads. 1t is not
compulsory-a state may decline to CO.
operate. but probably not many of them
will refuse.
The Senate committee on, public health
has reported the bill favorably and Sen
ator Kenyon. who has charge OF the
agricultural bill being discussed in the
| Senate, has promised to give way fol-
consideration Of the Towner-sheppare
measure SO that it viii get prompt at
| tention. The women insist that unless
they get action this session. preferably
next week, there will not be another op-
portunity to get the matter before vari.
| Gus state legislatures until 1923, as some
of them meet only once every two years
and usually during January and Feb
l ruary, SO that postponement of this
! subject until the extra session Of Con
gress in the spring would be hurtful te
| the cause.
| The woman leaders declare that
$50, 900 deaths is too much to allow
| delay-it is three times the number
| Of casualties on the American battle
| front during the war. And therefore
| the leaders in the movement are not
disposed to brook indefinite delay.
When women were enfranchiSed
| and the activities of the suffrage
leaders were recognized as having