The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-02-07
ACCORDING TO OUR MEANS

EVERYONE must have the profcuudcSt sympathy with the work
r proposed to be undertaken by the organized women of New Mex
II ico who support the state child welfare board as an independent
organization. 1t 5 recognize that the work this board and its active
promoters har" undertaken T." establish cont'mpi9teN not only phys
zeal hygiene, but mental and moral hygiene as well The carneStncSs
and complete sincerity Of those who seek To- confirm" the work as an
independent state agency Is very evident
The state gave this work official recognition two years age when
preparation Of $4,000 a year. Women interested in the work, At
great personal sacrifice Of time and effort. financed the purchase and
equipment of a building IN Santa Fc designed to be- the foundation
of u state maternity hospital III is now the desire of those behind this
enterprise that the building be taken over and maintained as a state
institution. An annual appropriation of $4,000 is also askcd.
II does not seem practical for the state to establish such a state
institution a a maternity hospital at this time The state has more
ins,;,u,;ons tban IL rn ,u,nort efficiently Sucb nm institution in.
efficiently maintained would b. of doubtful usefulness.
1t was the expectation OF the child welfare board that it would
be entrusted with the expected $4,000 federal contribution for child
welfare work. provided for in the Shcppard-Towncr bill. That bill,
division of child hygiene in It's public health service, shall expend
this money through the department Of health. As a result the only
way this Sheppard. Towner appropriation could be turned over to
the child welfare board would be by legislation removing from the
state health commission supervision over child hygiene. Effective
work by the state department OF health demands that IT have super,
vision of the health of children. Without that power its supervision
of general health would become more or less futile, save in instances
Of epidemic and quarantine.
The state department Of health, al, now organized, is equipped
TO continue supervision of child hygiene in a thoroughly efficient way,
with practically no addition to its general operating expenses. Of
the "a states having official supervision of child welfare, all but three
the department of health Colorado, Utah and New Mexico are the
e. ,eptionS.
agencies in behalf of child hygiene the state department Of health,
the stat" welfare hoard and 'bc school nurse, who has been cstab
ccssitt,, OF government. r. cannot afford any duplicating agencies
The 'aId W.nan board and Oh" state department of health opcrat-
ing Us separate "-..r.r, v1I. duui,at" practically all along the line,
i'm effort and expenditures 20 remove from the health department
power 'o supervise health work among children would be- to make a
Joke of the department
The earnest uru aJ women who insist that the child welfare
board r designed Goo -ra and accomplish more than mere physical
health for children should not permit their enthusiasm for "a splendid
work to blind them tu certain extremely practical aspects Of the sit.
uatton that has been put up To the legislature for solution, and that
probably n proving q serious problem for that body. One Of these
Is the plain fact that the state hasut the money to support the uSu
tuition and the extensive work planned for the child welfare board
and that until It's revenues are more ample. consolidation and not
duplication Of its public welfare agencies is the course dictated by
common sense and sure 70 prove most efficient. The child welfare
board should he consolidated with the department of health and
made a division of that department, operating under the supervision
of rs director There, would then be available for efficient. sustained
child hygiene work the whole organization of the department Of
health, with officers IN every county and community, and at the
same Time ample opportunity and at least a part Of the means for dc.
vclopng the broader aspects Of the work.
No matter how earnest its workers may be or how worthy the
effort, this state cannot provide enough money 10 finance at once a
statewide child welfare workers rrganIzatiou that will be efficient,
and a department OF public health that Will he efficient, if each acts
a. an independent agency by a merger OF the agencies efficiency
and economy will be served aud the results both agencies are designed
10 achieve win be attained.