The Washington herald., 1920-10-12
Nations Problems and Debt to Children
Outlined in Address BY Herbert E1oouer;
Lack of Child [ ,abor Laws Deplored

Fortunately, In the American cities
the portion due to poverty is not
large, but TO the infants of this
section there must be assured funda-
mental nutrition out of protection TO
the community as a whole.
Urges One Meal in Schools.
After children have arrived at
school age, we have opportunity to
correct malnutrition due to igno-
rance or misfortune by providing
at least one meal a day in the
schools OF those sections that need
1t. This again has warrant not
in charity but in insurance to the
whole community against the de-
ficiencies in health and mind of
our population in the years to come.
] believe that the definite institu-
tion OF supplementary child feeding
In public schools in certain places
Is a necessary part OF municipal
endeavor. Coupled also with this,
/ / am a firm believer in clinical ex-
animation and reports to parents
as definite part OF school work.
That part of malnutrition due
/ to ignorance on the part of par
ents would in time find ultimate So
luton II all our schools elaborated
their curricula on the hygienic side
UP to standards set in a few To-
calities. for at least we would catch
up with the next generation. We
indeed need more widely extended
teaching of the fundamentals of nu-
! triton in the public schools, not
I only as a part of the advance in
| public health. but also in house
hold economics.
Would Increase school Duties.
Some may object that this ex-
tension of medical supervision by
community nurses. clinical inspec-
tion of children in the schools, a
supplemental meal in schools of GER
tain sections, all tend to too inti-
mate an extension OF government.
In the very creation OF free schools
| and compulsory education itself. we
have accepted the fact that we can
not as a nation rely for the up
building of the race upon the initi-
ative OF the parents alone. No one
can deny that the physical deveI-
opment OF child life is of equal
| Importance with education. We
every one of US pay the price in
our jaiIs, in our poorhouses, in our
hospitals, in the loss of our eco
nomic efficiency. the fertile ground
that we furnish for all the social
patent medicines, for our failure
to have grasped the entire problem
of child development, not only in
, telleCtusl but physical as well.
! We have also some deficiencies
in our school system itself In. this
some parts of our nation have made
such wonderful advances, and yet
so much remains to be done! / am
one of those who believe that edu-
, cation must be compulsory in the
4 interest OF the nation as a whole
and ! believe that the period OF
! compulsion should extend to fifteen
I or sixteen years of age. Two States
as yet have no compulsion, and in
some compulsion is really ineffec-
tive by short terms, shocking facili-
! ties, etc. The war has greatly dis
turbed the efficiency Of our public
| schools, even in the best communi'
ties. for the payment of our teach
/ ers has not kept pace with the rise
, in economic levels. At one time we
were short nearly 100000 teachers
Furthermore, building operations
have fallen behind the growth ir
the number of our school children
and in many cities the children are
woefully overcrowded. There has
during the last few months, been {
great deal of attention given tc
these problems. and one can state
with great satisfaction that prog
ress is being made to correct these
evils in many places.
Child Labor Problem Reviewed.
There is also linked to thi'
whole problem of education anC
welfare of children. the problem O
child labor. The Federal Govern
ment has already recognized the un
soundness in the economic use o.
the nations resources of permit
ting the entrance of young childrel
suits in the progressive degenera
tion of the race, and tends to i'm
pair the human resources of tn
country on which the coming gen
Grafton must rely. The matter can
not wisely be left to the sole initia
'tive of the separate States. for W
have proved with great bitterness
that it is not only unfair to tn
to deal with the problem, bu
it places a premium upoI
States which are willing to sub
ordinate the future well-being o
their children to a present question
able competitive advantage in in
dustry.
In considering the problem o
child labor, a differentiation mus