Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-10-28
SENATOR HARDING
PROPOSES WELFARE
POST IN CABINET
rsas 10000 Women He Favors
Department In Defence OF
Mothers, chaahssd and
Public Health.
TO ADVANCE SOCIAL JUSTICE.
Emphasizes Need OF Safeguard
ing Hsren on American Farms.
STANDS for Enforcement OF Law

Marion, O.-The creation Of Fed
eral Department Of Public Welfare TO
function In defense of maternity, child
hood and public health was proposed
by Senator Harding In speech on so
cial Justice to 5000 women who came
to his front porch from all points Of
the compass.
Such department, said Senator
Harding. must avoid the fearful re-
suits OF bureaucracy. There can be
no moro efficient way Of advancing a
Humanitarian program" he said. than
By adapting the machinery Of eur Fed
erai Government, to tina purposes we
desire TO attain. While others may
have their eyes fxed upon some par.
ticulas piece OF legislation or more par.
ticStar policy Of social justice which
calls for the sympathetic interest Of Us
all. I say, without hesitation, that
, our primary consideration must be the
machinery Of administration, and that
when the time comes for US to re-
organize our administrative govern.
ment in Washington we must all stand
together for the creation of Depart.
ment Of Public Welfare,
II pledge myself today" he said, ito
support with all that Is in me whatever
practical policy of social welfare and
social justice can be brought forward
by the combined wisdom Of all Amer.
cans. Nothing can concern America,
and nothing can concern me as IN
American, more deeply than the
, health, the happiness and the enllght.
Must Avoid Paternaiism.
'The social justice that conceive Is
not paternalism. It would be easy to
make It so, and dangerous indeed to
the best spirit that Americans can
have-the spirit of expressing by the
individual free will ones own merits,
capacity and worth. We do not want
government to suppress that express
sion of free will, even by benevolence,
but we do mean to preserve In Ameri-
ca an equal opportunity and pre-
paredness for self-expression therein,
even though we use the government
to do 1t.
II believe that there Is no step more
practical, no step which will mean
more to the growth Of Americas So
cal welfare; no step which will guar
antee better Americas social justice,
than one which I propose to you
Dangers to Be Avoided.
81 have no doubt that there will be
some who will find in this proposal
cause for calling me an extremist, but
when we have task to do, which has
| been dictated by our conscience and
approved by our wisdom, let us
strsghtway find the way to do 1t.
do not say this without word Of
caution. recognize certain dangers
which are always presented when gov
eminent undertakes large and detailed
tasks"
Tasks Of Social Justice.
Senator Harding pointed out the
necessity OF going forward upon a
sure footing and declared:
when making the proposal for q
department Of public welfare to
America, am aware that have made
a step In advance Of any platform.
"We all know that we face tasks Of
social Justice, which we must under
take with dispatch and efficiency. Who
can suggest one OF these tasks which
can supersede In our hearts. or In the
rank which foresight and wisdom will
give that of the protection of our ma
ternity?
The protection Of the motherhood
Of America can not be accomplished
until the state and the nation have en-
acted and, by their example, have en-
forced customs, which protect wom-
anhood itself. I know full we'll that
there are women who insist that WON.
en- shall be treated upon the same
! basis that men are treated"
Senator Harding discussed the need
| OF adequate protection for women In
industry and expressed his belief In
the wisdom Of an eight-hour day for
women workers. He emphasized the
need of safeguarding the women on
| American farms. He proposed putting
the Children's Bureau under the sug-
I gested Department of Public Welfare,
and urged prevention of abuses OF
child labor.
II must not fall" Senator Harding
went on, ITO speak to you today Of one
OF the measures Of social justice and
social welfare not often cataloEued In
this manner, but perhaps more lmpor.
tant than any we have considered.
refer to the enforcement of law. I,
will not be my business when elected
to decide what laws shall be. II will
be legitimate for me to Invoke public
opinion for their enactment, but such
call to public opinion must be based
more upon the duty Of the Executive
Of the nation to give facts to the PEG
pie than upon his desire to give opin
ion, theory and propaganda. The en-
! forcement of the law is an Executive
responsibility and must be under
taken by the Executive without regard
for his personal approval or disap
prOvsl of the law, which 1t has beer
he DeoDles will To enactr