The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-12-07
BILL FOR PROTECTION
OF MOTHERS IS URGED
Clubwomen to Wire Congress
men to Vote for Shepherd
Towner Maternity Bill.

The facts that IN 1918 moro than as
900 mothers died from provcntable
causes connected with childbirth, and
that during tho snme period 1000 In
fnnts died from want OF proper care at
time OF birth nro being given wide pub
llclty In tho national campaign now
bong waEed by tho legislative depart
ment Of the General Federation Of Wom-
ems clubs Mrs. Edward Franklin
White, chairman and kindred orEani-
cations affiliated with the League OF
Women Voters. for the passage OF the
Sheppard Towner bill drawn up at
womenR demand and known MS rs.
1853 and H.. IL. 1926"
Leaflets are being sent broadcast to
clubwomen urging their immediate .eo-
oIieEAtAnn Elm helping to pass tho bllls
whiuh.wilI stop tho wastaEe In human
life more thnn three times greater than
that on our total battle death list In the
war"
The appeal, In part, In as follows
ASK your reprosontatlv In congress-
TO support the Sheppard Townor bill
for the public protection OF maternity
and infancy. Tho bill concorna you: II
needs your active backing. Your letter
or telegram 10 your congressman counts
nuke II real; write with oonvlctlon'
prove thut you are Interested.
1.-THE hill provides for instruction In
and tho household nr.s oAsontion to tho
well. being OF mother and child; II pro-
vidos for consultation centors and medl-
cal and nursing care for mothers and
infnntA, at home or nj hospital
'ipha act will be administered by q
fod0rnl board, on which are represented |
the United Staten bureau of education |
and tho United states public health
aorvico. Tho executive officers OF tho |
board In the chief OF the ohildron's bu-
rcau.
"In the separate Hthtos the act may |
BIO administered by the child hygiene
division OF tho state board OF health.
or whore such IN lacking by specially
created state board.
10 carry on tho provisions or tho
net tho federal government Is to sppro-
pirate 81, 900. 900 the FIRST year. THIS sum
Is 10 he annually increased until IL
reaches $4,000, 600
ut will be apportloned among tho
states In the proportion which their
population bears 70 tho totnl popula.
Ion OF the United States. provided that
'aph state approprates a llko sum IN
addition TO this sum. tho bill provides
of an annual Appropriation OF SibO,UOo
d be divided oqu ,lly among tho states
without guarantee Of Hike sum-
states Free to Act
''It should be noted that tho separate
ItnteB are free to carry out their APP
proved plans without Interference from
no federal board; that tho federal gov
irnmOnt In this act does not propose TO
EMBARK on u medical or surgical cam,
,ulgn, but rather 10 stimulate anu
ruids and mako accessible instruction
md care to all mothers and Infants;
hat this service Is In no sense compuI-
ory. ,. - hons,
by its Investigations Of INC past hvVoh
years that the United states IL Wasting
he lives OF mothers and babies.
ut IL Hnfer to be- mother IN FOUR
.eon important foreign countries than
n tho United states and babies have
l better chance IN seven foreign couh-
rieR than here N our own couhl
maternal doatha and infant deaths
rom maternal causes are not ucC,'hs
nK because mothers do not yet nave
he skilled care and advice that theF
leed 49,. .,,,,t.. Z,
-ural areas in six different states nave :
"ingh maternal mortality rates
above tho average for the unlteH
states M whole. .,,.,--... 49,.
% pr Cent OF Mothers Without Care
"Tho fact that 80 per cont O. the
pothors had received no advice OF
ralned care during pregnancy -.
".unocosmhiity and often tntlrt lack
II hospitals. doctors ana nutHrS =.
meet tho need for instruction M pre-
natal and infant hygiene ana iot
ralncd care during pregnancy ana
IAN almo prohlhtlve cost for pro-
yIdtng adequate care at confinement III
,rnttCrcd ald Isolated rural disu cts
"Ot more than 2200O clly babies
,udlrd by the chlldrcn's bureau and
every type OF nome IN
even cities more than thice-ntths
yrto horn into ftmilrs where the
athsfa' earnings wrtc below the
mount winch Was at that time the
minimum lur providing the bare nee
,ErltIya ~ existence. only one IN ten
VAS In family whore the fathers
.nruiuTa reached fair minimum Ter
.ouiurI without the aid provided BY
no Sheppard Tuwnrr bin they are "
No puiltIun effectively 20 safeguard
heir children.
"Th, problem ~ nor local or sectional
,ut nation wide Fcdrrnl action. thcre-
orc. ls urgently needed. ana THIS htl
,nrrv n practicable method ot CO.
,rrrHtI1n between the federal govern
mont and the states
The Tennessee State Federation OF
n umnu'A clubs Is advocating the pns.
asa ut the Sheppard Tuwncr bill ana
,rs G. s. steward state president,
,aa WrIttcn The clubs of the state
.4LInr tho women Co use their IN
iurncc Win their congressman Tor rs
iussage.