Evening journal., 1921-06-15
new LAWS AID
STATE WOMEN
Mrs. Perkins Acquaints
League of Voters With
Latest Legislation
DISARMAMENT is
AFTERNOON TOPIC

Political and other conditions in
Delaware affecting women were
discussed this morning at a meeting
OF the executive committee OF the
Delaware League OF Women Voters,
held at the Hotel DUPONT Those
present were: Mrs. Henry Ridgely.
Miss Winifred ]. Morris. Dover: Mrs
Harman Reynolds. Townsend: Miss
Reba Holcomb. Mrs. r. b Lightner,
New Castle; Mrs. l. W. Belts, Fred
erica; Mrs. A. ID. Warner. Miss Helen
Hart, Mrs. Jane Penniwell and Mrs
T. G.. Settle. OF this city Mrs
Ridgely presided over the session.
An interesting report OF the Ma
tional Convention OF the League OF
Women Voters, recently held In
Cleveland. Ohio. was given by Mrs
Ridgely.
Following the executive meeting.
a luncheon was held at I o'clock In
/ the club room OF the hotel. Covers
were laid for thirty-five guests A.
the close Of the luncheon. five-min-
ute speeches were made by Mrs
William II. Laird and Mrs. Ina Per
kins. on child welfare work In this
State. Miss Clara Southwick spoke
on the work OF the Consumers
League.
Recent child welfare legislation IN
Delaware was outlined by Mrs. Ina
j. n. Perkins, director for the Child
Welfare Commission. at the lunch
con. Mrs. Perkins said In part:
'aThe recent session OF the Della
ware Legislature gave cordial hear
ing and fine support to several child
welfare bills. The Reconstruction
Commission was charged by law TO
make legislative recommendations
on behalf Of children. II did 80 In
nine bills. all but one OF which were
enacted Members OF the Delaware
Branch OF the National League OF
Women Voters. gave substantial as
sistance in the passage OF the follow
ing child welfare bills initiated by
the Reconstruction Commission:
Il. Creation OF a Child Welfare
Commission consisting OF nine mem
bers to develop a broad child well
fare program including maternal
and child health work and such
other child welfare subjects as the
commission may see fit TO undertake
Study OF conditions affecting chill
dren and promotion OF legislation FOR
their welfare 10 be also a definite
. part Of the work OF the commission
The law carried an appropriation OF
$4,000 annually and $4,000 addi
tional annual appropriation for eaci
l OF the years Of 1921 and 1922. Gre
, alton OF the Child Welfare Commits
sion showed the recognition gaine'
for child welfare work. II mean
- the people OF the State were quit
). solidly back OF the work and that IN
Legislators recognized the fact Tn
= appropriation means that work we
:. begun can go on and be extended {
Is a considerable extent.
y 80 Repeal Of the old Masters
., and Apprentices Law. making i'm
4 possible the binding OF children
20 Passage Of this law marks a real mile
b stone in the progress OF the State
= The law was almost a dead lette
J, one, there being only about twent
J. children bound under IL In recen
:. years However, as long as Il stOo
- on the statute books II held a pos
p sibility Of legalized slavery for chill
: dren and was a blotch on the fai
r. name Of the State. News OF sweep
> ing from out statutes has been wei
z. coined widely in the social welfar
world OF the United States
"s A bill requiring the use OF
and designating the prophylatics tina
may be used in the eyes OF the neN
born to prevent Inflammation an
blindness. In child welfare work
has been discovered that with IN
' best of intentions to guard agains
: Inflammation Of the eyes OF ne'
borns some birth attendants hav
used Intellectual eye washes, 50 a LAY
designating what solutions may
used is Of real value as a means {
! prevent blindness OF babies.
"a. A bill requiring that attend
ants at child birth shall make q
entry on the birth certificate, Of IN
kind OF prophylactic used in the eye
OF babies at birth. and requiring thi
the back Of the birth certificate sha
have printed thereon at least a sun
mary OF the portion Of the law in r.
} gard to birth registration and n
use Of a prophylactic against inlan
nation Of the eyes. This law wi
ID promote better birth registration an
b. is a companion TO the previous
pr mentioned law. Its operation wi
of give a constant reminder 10 Dirt
In attendants OF the legal Requirement
in regard TO birth registration. an
w as II viii give early knowledge to q
\. Office Of the State Board OF Healt
,e Of any baby whose eyes are not prol
IL erly treated at birth. il is an increal
A. ed safeguard against blindne
20 among babies.
n IS. Amendment to the bastard
nj law to modernize it by includir
~ broader provisions in regard TO inst
al tuting action against a putati'
"A father in regard 20 larger sums tn
Mt may be secured. The amendment
IN this law carries provision for legit
Il nation of children born out OF WEI
ne lock. either by subsequent marrial
ne Of the parents or by written acl
an nowledgment of parentage, filed in
r prothonotary's office. The effect
he this law will be 10 give opportunii
~ for needy mothers of illegitima
children TO secure more suppo
he than formerly for such children an
n by its legitimation feature, will gi'
NJ rights to nlegitimate children in DE
en- aware similar to those long assure
10 to nlegitimate children in some thi
We ty-odd other states.
" "6 Revision OF the MARRIAGE Ia