Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-16
HARDING ADDRESSES
AMERICAN MOTHERS
Asks Them to Cooperate With
Public Officials to Insure
Their Children's Educational,
Religious and Physical Welfare

Marion. Ohio Dec. 15.-Amercan
mothers were asked by President-eect
Harding tonight to give to school Off
cials and other public servants full
measure of cooperation in the educa- =
tional. religious and physical training OF
children.
Speaking here before "a State meeting OF
the Child Conservation League. Mr..
Harding declared it the duty Of mother
| hood to keep the old time home spirit
alive in spite OF growing tendency to en-
trust the instruction of the child almost
wholly TO public institutio J. He made a
particular plea that religt, IS training be
kept within the province Of the hearth
and voiced a hope for Il revival of re-
ligious reverence in the trying times
ahead.
The President elect also asked that the
public welfare agencies of tle nation be
kept democratic and expressed dsap-
proval Of the practice Of the rich in with
drawing their children from the public
schools and entering them in private in
sttutions. He reeffrmed his hope tnat
great good would be accomplished by
the new public welfare department to be
proposed by his administration and said
he had found sentiment in and out of
Congress strongly supporting the plan.
Tho address was delivered at the Meth
odist Episcopal Church here at the end
Of one of Mr.. Harding's busiest days
since he began his consulta tions on an
! association of nations and other public
problems. His callers included Raymond
Robins of Chicago, a former leader of
| the Progressive party, Senator a. B. Fall
I/,f nd rad /
lams, former American minister to
Greece. and the conferences are under
stood to have covered many foreign and
domestic questions.
In the course of his address Senator
| Harding said
Whether we may esteem 1t wise oI
unwise, the modern mother must realize
that society disposes more and more &c
take from her control the training. the
intellectual direction and the sprtua
ruidance of her children. We may well
nead With the mothers to make the most
for good, of the lessened opportunity they
possess for molding the lives and minds
OF their children. Through such co-opera.
tive effort as this. II seems to me. there
Is opportunity for a great service. Here
in is presented the opportunity TO lif
up the poorer and the less fortunate tc
a higher level.
II am not of those who believe legis-
laton can find panaceas for all ills
but on the other hand. I am not Of those
who fear to undertake, through legisla
ton, the formulation OF new programs.
81 firmly believe that our country. alons
with others that claim a share In tn,
worlds leadership, has lately achieved
one victory in behalf of n better under
standing and more intelligent grasp OF
these problems. l refer TO the bestowa
upon women of full participation in the
privileges and obligations of citizenship
With her large part wider influence il
! the world of affairs ] think we shall Sc,
woman and her finer spiritual instinct:
Mt length leading mankind TO higher
planes of religion. of humanism and o.
enobling spirituality.
| "Healthful mothers amid fl condition!
/ for maternity, healthful, abundantl!
nourished children amid fit co"di''oNs foI
development mentally and physically-al
made certain by the generation of to-da,
| in its con ern for tomorrow. will guar
antee citizenship from the soil o
America which will be the guarantee %
! American security and the American full
fllment."