The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-13
Maternity Education
For Young Mothers to
Be Uncle Sans Task
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright by The InteIli6encSr


Washington. Dec. -. - When the
,rnc~icnn woman left her place in tn"
home" on election day. she paved IN"
way for tho adoption of piece OF !eSlS-
lation that will do moro Tor the nom"
perhaps than any on" law In AmeF'-
can history. t@r!y this N"rK conSrSSS t,r,E
Will consider the rrSt ieSisIatlNe nro-
noSal made by The women OF America
since universal suffrage was granted.
NJ. only hRSr the women done the un-
nreccdcnted thjnE OF asking Tor reIa-
tiyclY insignificant appropriaton-onlE
81. 900. 00o--but they hav" pointed out
how that S4.oOO.OO0 can be OF as much
or more benefit To IN" American nation
as any other $1,000. .n"N IN the whole fed
eral budget OF $4,000, ,000.e00
RrieAy. IN" women ask tina, the fed
eral government. IN cooperation with
~, States ct me union shall educate
young mothers in the maternity period
so that tAry VIII not only have tho
proper knowledge OF hygiene before and
after the birth Of their children. but IN
needy cases nurses and physicians shall
10 ready "a com. &" heir aid instantly.
Not only have some pit!tul cases OF neg
lect in country GlS r!ciS especially come
20 the attention of the women who have
investigated ihrS' Questions. and StatiS-
ties show hat America los: 25O.O0O in
fantS last H"ar "r 4 total OF 2O,O90 z
month. mos; ut whom might have been
saved by proper attention. Indeed in
1919. $4,000 mothers died from causes
that could have been prevented. Fully
different "nSes show that lack OF care
was the principal reason fer death.
America Far Behind
America has been far behind n this
kind OF social legislation. The United
States stands fourteenth in the lis, Of
civilized countries which have taken up
the problem. New Zealand which has
had woman suffrage longer than any
other country. stands at the top IF the.
list. and has greatly reduced her infant
mortality, i Grea. Britain also has been
IA the front rank in this movement
tn" Shcppard-Luwncv bill prepared
by Senator Sheppard Of Texas. a DEM
ocrat. ard REPRESENTATIVE LownrC OF
Iowa. Republican. would appropriate
TWO million dollars at first but with pro-
VISION 10 Increase II annually til II
caches four million dollars and the
states Of the union would De asked 10
appropriate dollar for dollar IN tre
same way that the federal government
and the states have Cooperated in build
Ing roads. 1t is not compulsory--a
state may decline to cooperate but
probably not many OF them VIII refuse.
Tavorahly Esported.
The senate committee on public
health has reorted the bill favorably
and Senator Kenyon who has charge
II the agricultural bin being discussed
n bnc senate mas PROMISED 10 give way
Tor consideration OF the Towner-Shep-
pard measure SO that il will get prompt
attention. The women insist that unless
they get action this session. preferably
next week, there Will not be- another
opportunity 20 get the matter before the
various state legislatures until 1923.
as some Of them meet only once every
TWO years, and usually during January
and February 81 that postponement II
his subject until the extra session OF
Congress IN the spring would be hurttul
TO the cause. The women leaders declare
that $4,000 deaths IL too much to al
low delay-it ~ three times the num-
Der OF casualties in the American bac-
,le-front during the war. And therefore
the leaders In the movement are not dts
posed TO brok indefinite delay.
When women were enfranchised and
the activities OF tho suffrage leaders
were recognized as having come TO an
end. everybody wondered In what dtrec-
';on the energies OF these leaders would
go. Eleven national Eoman'S orgau!Za-
t!ous have gotten together. and with a
Joint legislative committee her" they
nave quietly po,icd members Of the som
a;s and house and explained the details
ot the measure. Some conEreSsme7
were hesitant at first. thinking tn" at
. 'cntlon OF public nurses might be
forced upon people. but Z was eN-
poor people who would b. glad :" g"t
any sort OF attention. and. that n no
case was u compulsory that aid be ac-
copied. Indeed. the Catholic w"ifar"
societies and the welfare organizations
~ other churches have gotten behind
tho bill. and the polls OF congress show
hat Il will pass by an overwhelming
vote. II Is interesting to observe that
no bin doeSn't create any new federal
bureaus or big salary list. The ad
miniStration Of tho whole thing will
-est largely with the stat" hygiene and
public health bureaus. probably in CO.
operation with civic Associations But
me whole thing will hN Systematically
~o-ord.nated. that ths Ch!ldr"n ot
America may he Sateguarded and tho
ace of American men and women cor
~espoNdlnCly strengthened Ten NIL
Tor voters are affiliated with tn"
,lavsn organizations which are sponsor
.ng the bill. Instead or dividing alanS
1ar:y limos. The women of America har"
rrEanlZsd in 4 nom rttSan way 10 do
something for tho home which has long
-. :, - ,e..rE ID nv thA rnnla rntarS