Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-02
WANTS Department.
OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Harding Outlines New Policy OF
Federal Effort; Hits Dry Law
Notification.


ment of prohibition was condemned with
out qualification" yesterday by Senator
Harding in front porch speech outlining
policy of organized federal effort for
the promotion of social justice and wei
fare.
Addressing gathering of women, the
Republican nominee proposed establish
ment of Department of Public Wei
fare" in the national government and add
ed that in his opinion law enforcement was
one of the important requisites of social
progress.
'"The enforcement of the law is an
executive responsibility, he continued,
"and must he undertaken by the execu-
tive without regard for his personal ap-
proval or disapproval of the law We
must all condemn without qualification
the failure of enforcement of prohibition,
just as we must all condemn the failure
of established authority to prevent out
RACES of vilocnce such as lyrching
In another part of his speech he warned
against assumption of too much authority
by the federal government in welfare
efforts or In other activities, declaring
there was grave danger at hand when CEN
tralized expression begins to take from
local communities all the burdens of
social conscience.
Sketching his conception of the new
federal department he snid il might we'll
be formed in part by combining the
various governmental bureaus now dealing
with the different aspects of social well
fare lie suggested that women should
have an important part in the work Of the
department and mentioned maternity
care, child welfare. public health, hu-
name labor regulations and stability Of
employment as questions involved.
He also voiced his confidence that
American women would stand with the
Republican party against the Versailles
League of Nations. but said he would
refuse TO make any emotional or mere
tricious appeal To the hearts of the women
Of America
Our primary consideration. he said,
must be the machinery OF administration
and when the time comes for us to reor-
game our administrative government
IN Washington. VIC must all stand to-
gether for the creation Of IA department Of
public welfare
'In creating federal departments for
the administration of social justice and
social welfare we mvst avoid the fearful
results Of bureaucracy. Undoubtedly the
great blessings of our constitution are
the checks which 1t places upon the de-
velopment III national center OF great
bureaucratic paternaiism.
The protection OF the motherhood of
America cannot be accomplished until the
state and the nation have enacted and
bv their example, have enforced customs
which protect womanhood itself. | know
full we'll that there are women who in
sist that women shall be treated upon the
same basis that men are treated. They
would have a right to take this position
in their own behalf but | insist that all
true Americans must insist that no woman
speaks for herself alone.
Twelve million women in the United
States, forty per cent of them between
Is and 20 years of age, are engaged in
paid occupations or professions. Such an
army of potential maternity demands
from America careful and adequate pro-
lection in the condition which surround
their labors
There is growing and a probably
wise sentiment in America in favor of an
eight-hour day everywhere for women.
Justice and American standards demand
that women who are employed should be
paid living wage.
/ am hearing constantly voices raised
N behalf OF the women in industry.
iesire to raise mine now in behalf of the
women on the farms of the United States,
who in the labor shortage of this year have
gone into the fields There must be labor,
normal labor, available to farm as well as
actory.
One Of the important organizations
lnder a department Of public welfare
night well be the children's bureau which
low exists but whose work already proved
o useful must be extended.
Next TO maternity and childhood,
believe that our attention must be cen
cred upon our national health We must
lttack first low standard of health among
secondly, the invasion of dis
aseS which attend a low standard of
MORALS: and thirdly the invasion of |
pidemics and the eglect Of the chronic |
diseases of maturity.