Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-18
VERMONT WOMEN MEET
DILLINGHAM; AND DALE
Discussion of Shepard-Towner
Bill Brings Out Fact That
Burlington Has Highest In.
FAINT Death Rate of Any City,
in Proportion to Population

Members and officers Of the YER
mont League of Women Voters held a
conference Thursday afternoon, at the
Hotel Vermont. with United States
senator William p. Dillingham; and
Congressman Porter H. Dale, in relation
to pending legislation in the coming
session OF Congress. Twenty six women
from different parts of the State were
present. The conference was presided
over by Mrs. Lillian H. Olzendam chair
man Of the Vermont League Of Women
voters. who introduced the subjects 70
he discussed and the women who led
the discussions. The first bill taken
up was the so-called Shepard -Towner
infancy and maternity bill, and the dis
cussion which followed this line was
most Illuminating. certain facts being
brought cut that should make the peo-
NE or this State consider well the
problems that are confronting them
In the Immediate future. For instance.
1t was asccrtained that the United
States has the highest infancy and
maternity death rate Of any country in
the world excepting Spain. We are also
18th In the list of countries which
have the highest death rate of chill
dren under one year of age. Vermont
is extremely lax In the care of in
rancy and maternity. and in the civ
II burlington the highest infant death
rate prevails OF any city of proportional
population in the United States These
facts were set forth by women we'll oual-
flied to speak on this subject. and
came as II surprise to some Of tho
women present, as we'll as to the two
members of Congress who were there
to talk the matters over. The merits of
the shepard Towner bill were gone in
TO at some length. and the Views of
the members of the League of Women
Voters, as well as of the Senator and
Congressman. were listened to with
great interest Senator DILLINGHAM;
felt that the bill would have TO be
amended before it could be passed. but
expressed himself as in sympathy with
many of it's provisions and as favor
able to the spirit of the bettermcnt OF
conditions which Ii is designed 70
roster. Congressman Dale advised the
women to give the bill the fullest
publicity and to interest the law-mak-
ing bodies of the State in its status.
Inc famous and much dis cussed
Smith-Towner bill was next taken I'm
This bill provides for a federal bureau
or department of education with
secretary Of education at it's head. who
shall be one of the Presidents cabinet
1t is proposed to grant federal aid to
those states voting through their Lee
gislatures to adopt the measure, pro-
Vldlng that sum equal to that grant
ed by the federal government be an
propriated by the State taking advant-
age of the bill. Senator Dillingham;
spoke OF the so-called "Amerlcan ization
Dill which is to be tried out for three
years. and which is designed to spend
twelve million dollars annually for the
education of the foreign born and
American -born illiterate. The Smith
'Towner bill is designed to further edu.
cational opportunities in the States,
each state accepting the federal aid
retaining its educational administra-
ton within its own boards and super
intendent of education. This bill
brought out wide discussion. and all
sides of the question were thoroughly
gone into.
Among those present were: Mrs.
Porter II. Dale of Island Pond: Mrs.
Abram w. Foote of Cornwall: Mrs.
Wheelock of Waterbury, Mrs II. A.
slayton of Morrisville; Miss Virgin of
Concord. N. H: Mrs. Harry b. Shaw,
Mrs e. II, Read Mrs II. W. Blackburn.
Dean Pearl WATSON. Mrs. NJ. d. Chit
tenden. Mrs. Lucille Morgan. Mrs.
Charles II. Darling. Miss Margaret Darl-
ing. Mrs. f. A. Linderholm, Mrs. ]. L.
Southwick. Miss Mabel Southwick,
Mrs. Barstow and Miss Ann Batchelder
IF Burlington.