The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-12-03
Mss. pARMELEe GOES AsrRAy
Thinks Sheppard-Towner Law May
Do Some Good.


are continually asking the writeI
what all the excitement Is about, am
why are some papers so strenuouslj
opposing the measure. Will yot
kindly grant me space to try ane
throw a little light upon this sub
Iect?
This bill was first introduced by
Miss jeanette Rankin, of Montana
the first Congress woman, OF these
United States. The bill is endorsed
by the Children's Bureau at Wash
ington. and was passed two to one In
favor by the representatives In the
House, and by majority in the sen.
ate, which would lead one to believe
there Is merit In the measure.
This bill provides for prenatal care
of the mother, through clinics, mater.
nifty hospitals maternity care In the
home, children's health centers, and
system Of public instruction which
viii be within the reach OF every
mother and child. Is there need for
tsis bill?
Those who have made a study of
conditions. claim that there is They
tell us that 1900 mohters are dying
each year In this country at child
birth. and nearly one fourth OF mil
lion habies pass out from causes
which are largely preventable These
deaths are said to be largely due u
lack OF knowledge and proper care.
The Chidren's Bureau has exact de.
tailed information OF nearly 5000
cases where the mother received no
prenatal care whatever.
DR. Josephine Baker, director of
Child Hygiene of New York has stat
ed "lt is times as safe to be a
soldier in the T. s. army as to be 4
baby in the U. 81
Even In this state there are over
forty towns and hamlets having no
resident physician.
7 The provisions Of this bill are not
an untried experiment, but have been
in force in fifteen foreign countries,
and have proved to be very satisfac'
tory.
The work will be carried on. more
or less in connection WIZ Boards
OF Health
I Uncle Sam takes good care OF his
Holsters and animals as he consid.
ers them valuable, and has anpropri-
ated four million dollars for their in
vestigation and care. lie has how
ever appropriated less than one
fourth of a million dollars. for the
investigation OF disease and death OF
babies and for giving medical instruc
ton and care to mothers
/, TWO methods Of attack have been
used TO seek to defeat this blu Con-
gressman James a Reed has used
| The most savage, inhumap aud abus'
live YsTrasm, while Congressman
Greene has used the "taffy to
mothers method. both having the
same object in view. the defeat Of the
measure.
Jim Reed is especially eminent
among his colleagues for using ylo'
lent and contemplate remarks
against any measure which he does
not haWen to approve. His opinion
is therefore to be regarded as unre-
liable, unfair and biased, and par
ticularly Is this true Of any legisla
| tion directly concerning women.
| Congressman Greene has been Hood
| ing this state with Mr. Reeds
abusive speech, hoping thereby to
prejudice the press and the women
AGAINST the measure If he really de-
sired TO be fair, why did he not Ell.
close copy of the bill under discus
sion. together with Mr.. Reeds opin-
/ ion, and another speech equally eni'
phatic IN favor Of the measure then
trust to the intelligence OF his con-
stituents to size the matter UP Tor
themselves.
No more violent attack against the
Children's Bureau and womanhood
in general has ever been launched IN
Congress. Every bitter foe of suf'
frage for women has expressed him
self in the strongest language he was
able to command. Mr. Greene in ad-
ldition to his "taffy" to mothers used
with dramatic effect that old over.
worked ghost OF Estates rights" his
lfillbustering did not cause the defeat
! OF the bill, however. The President
of the Massachusetts Anti.Suffrage
society sent forth the text which has
lhad many "Preachments" Nv the
state press. She said-this bill Is
lpaternalistic, socialistic, and is a
meddlesome attempt to bring about
bureaucratic control OF family life
Politics has been referred to as "A
great game" 1t would seem that thic
lbill was directly in line with the
home and woman's sphere that the
antig talk so much about. but tne
game now is to keep "Job Hunting
lSpinsters" and Female uplifters' out
of politics, and out OF public posi-
tions. some of which they are far pet
ter fitted by nature. training. ana
education to fill than are some men.
/ AS men have always heretofore set
tiled matters OF government so they
lnow resent the opinion of women,
mot all men. but certain types, ,--anu
lthey evidently do not wish to enter
Unto relationship with women where
There may be competition. compare
lson of talent, efficiency or success
land where equal pay is given fcr
equal work. The present head oi
the Children's Bureau is Miss Grace
Abbott. WHO was formerly from the
IHull House at Chicago. During the
| wne SIZE was one of the advisers 70
the. chairman of the War liAtor pol
cies Board, it is against this compt
ltent woman that much OF the sar
casm Is hurled also the women sssis'
Iants vet 10 be appointed to cary ou'
tn, provision OF this bill.
II would seem that government os
,The peoplen does not yet junction
in this country. In this period o.
reconstrucsion, women are ASKING lei
regotnis. II matters of food, ciot!ung