Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-06

What shall be said will be in the ma
ture of general comments ana sus
gestions. based on observation anu
experience. rather than deRiico IN
formation and specific recmmendn-
tions
..'rhe reports of the various state
institutions boards and COMMISSIONS
will be presented you later IN tne see
sion. In these you Will hnd ue'a'ie"
statements of the condition OF 'ne va,
ous departments and activities OF the
state Irpon these and the policy an
nounced by the incoming adminisua-
tion YOU will be able to base your de-
uherations and formulate by statu'e
the needs Of the State.
I'm NV inaugural address there was
outlined the policy of the adnhniser"-
ton now drawing to a close. inter
preting what was believed TO pe 'h'
trend of public opinion anu my coheop
tion of the fundamental needs ior 'he
,,nluilding of the State, the develop
mont of her resources and the welfare
of her citizens. I asked Tor proS ram
of construction with speciai aieei.'o"
10 agriculture, health, roads, euuca'ioh,
conducted on business principles
said at that time that "statecrait' To-
dav nj its best. is administrator
ness methods with the adoption oi
h,avo, sxste,, as a check. In the
ma ior norton of our work. party poii-
,i,s has but little TO do -Four years
experience has intensified TINS, view
This program. | think you Will
agree. has attracted the attention Oh
the public mind. and laws now on our
statutes reflect in some ueSr"e .,he
Thought and opinion of the people. Ihe
work liz in no wise complete, put Gel
min foundations have been mace lfia'
seem worthy OF note. upon lhe ue-
yelopment of some such program ue-
penis In great part the progress "i ti'e
state To YOU comes this opportunity.
In order that you may gain better the
seouence of events. permit me 10 pre-
-, c,aua,lv a review Of this pro-
sram. made possible by your preue-
eessors.
HEALTH
In consideration Of health legisia-
,,,,, narn,i. me TO call your special
attention to the report Of the state
BOARD of Health, well as the report
OF the Survey Commission
During the war our CounCil OF De
Sanss was called by Federal authorl-
ties 10 investigate health condiuons IN
Tho state. with special reference 10
,x-,i,,,;,vroo a survey was made re-
.,,aI;rc conditions undreamed of. The
ras,,lt ~ this investigation forced "a
roorpanizstion of our health work. Ihe
state offices were moved TO the Capl-
tol and a trained health expert pun III
charge Of field work. with results most
gratifying Vital statistics nave oeeh
niaced upon staple basis resuiauohs
revised more accuracy in reporting
:. -4s,N
obtained. The state has been admitted
10 Death Registration Area Of the
United states. A survey OF puohc
water supplies in the State has been
made. Regulations prohibiting the sale
If milk from tubercular cows have
also been adopted. There has been
naked reduction in the death rate
Deaths from typhoid. disgace 10
any community, have been reduced
more than thid; deaths from
tuberculosis have deceased more than
20 percent. Health cnditions are not
vet a. good as the average Tor rhe
United States. but with attention TO
communications to be made the State
can soon take its rightful place ana
rhe health conditions made more Sc
cure.
..The Tuberculosis Commission under
the new plan, now in practice, which
will no doubt be presented 10 YOU is
worthy of special commentator. In
INV Judgment the methods now prac-
ticed are. by far, the most effective YET
attempted and certainly the most eco
nomical.
CHILD WELFARE.
.srhe work of the Child Welfare.
stated by the Women's Committee
during the war and now being car
ried on by the State under superV1-
sion Of the ReconstrucVon Commission
vii be presented for your considera-
ZION. The facts set out II this report
make II one Of the most interesting
state documents OF recent years. The
rories presented ran scarcely he real
tvad vst thew can be easily Verired.
such facts as these are presented.
".Of infants under one year there
~.-a ,o7 fewer deaths in 1919 than in
1915. and during the summer months
~ 1920 the death rate of infants de-
creased nearly 40 per cent from the
record Of previous years. The rate OF
decrease in Sussex county was 90 per
cent. Similar decreases are noted an
death rate Of children UP 70 five years
Of age. the total presenting hundreds
OF lives saved.
Il hope in your tour o. Inspection
% the various State institutions that
vou will visit some of the Child Wei
fare Stations in the thickly populated
sacrjons Of Wilmington. That this work
will be continued with increased ap-
p-opristio is merely expressing
Statewide opinion of those familiar
with the work. No health work in the
state is OF such vital Importance as
this merely recite this that you
nav give the report its deserved at
tention.
with all our boasted supremacy
the war taught us many lessons, none
more serious and worthy OF careful
thought than those questions OF health
Draft examinations did not show a
pleasing revelation. II is only in keep
ing with the modern day to more
closely guard the physical training OF
our children. To this end, ! am call
ing your attention TO the consideration
OF some ways and means 70 provide
some physical training or drill in our
public schools and the advisability Of
community nurses. Physical e1amin-
ations Of our children this year have
not measured up TO our proud boasts
These gentlemen. are worthy of more
than passing recognition. If we would
keep pace with those with whom oU
children will have 10 compete, II be-
hooves you TO take serious thought on
all questions effecting the sanitation
and health conditions Of the State.
AGRICULTURE.