The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-08
TO 60 TO 1923 SESSION
Mrs. III. MayfieId Is Drawing Up
Preliminary Report
Many Laws To Be Changed
and Others Added.

A program OF proposed legislation
covering virtually the entire Held Of
childreR'S interests IS being prepared
by the Kansas chiIdren's code COM
mission for presentation to the 1928
Legislature
Mrs H AIsyfieId. executive secre-
tary OF the commission. in her prsIim-
mary report. declares the legislation
Of Kansas relative to children, Ike
that OF many other states which have
not adopted codes. represents the leg
fsIative action "of many assemblies.
much OF it without unity OF purpose
or close correlation" Some OF this
IegisIa ton is obsolete. the report de-
clarez. as in the instance OF the old
apprenticeship laws Of 1855. which
still stand UnrepeaIed upon the stat
utez- Some Of this legislation is com
rIcCing- particularly the present child
labor and compulsory school atre1-
dance laws the report continues AT
OF II Is scattered and uustaudardized
and should be revised. made organic
and brought up 70 Uniform. modern.
child welfare standards
Continuing. the report says
'Children's codes are more than the
bringing together or codifying OF the
children's laws Of the state Chill
dren'S codes represent an effort -
sraudardtze and express the legal
rights OF childhood IN a consistent
The first effort in this direction
was called a 'ChItren's Charter and
the name has stiu much 10 recon-
mend II
The form 1latiou Of 4 code or char !
ter has become much easier since the {
adoption OF minimum standards in (
child welfare by the International /
Conference on Child Welfare, held in I
Washington Il 1919 The resolutions
passed AT this conference Rave been I
modified aad tested by all kinds OF
social groups until Il may safely be T
said that these standards represent 4
the consensus OF opinion Of the civil 4
lied world
Effort to Adapt International Code.
IN a word. the Kansas chldreus
code represent an effort 70 write the
international child-weIfare standards
into the laws and the life OF Kansas
This IS why q program is pre-
scented which covers the entire field
OF chiIdreu's interests Every chill
dren's law depends upon and dove
tails with many other laws and Il Is
only by making an archirect's plan
ard building 70 il that 4 consistent.
lee7ily-ccmpereu structure can be
achieved in the end"
Numerous changes IN legislation
governing children in industry are be-
ing drafted for submission to the 1929
legislature Complete provisions Of
these proposed Changes viii be an
uou1ceC soon the code commission !
preliminary report said Bis for
compulsory school attendance an
parL-uue schools correlated with the
proposed child labor Standards will
also be drafted BY the commission and
probably Will be Incorporated also in
the report OF the school code COM
mission
Would Change Many Laws
Matters OF general interest TO chill
dre1 proposed by the commission in
ClUce the designation OF one division
OF the district court IN counties OF
over $4,000 population a court OF
domestic relations with special turis-
G-ctiou over Ill family cares. changes
in the county departments OF public
welfare 50 that the superintendent OF
public welfare shall be certified by the
STATE board OF administration on merit
before being eligible to appointment
By the county comm SSIoners-ra amend
ment OF the marriage laws. Of in
creased appropriations looking to bet
terIng the condition OF defective chill
dren. employment OF more efficient
means in LOOKING after depend nr and
uegIec children: creation Of stare
receiving homes for INDECENT. pregnant
women and abandoned children. IL
ce1Se and Inspection Of maternity
homes and hospitals and chtIfreuFs
homes extension Of the Jurisdiction !
OF the juvenile court over children
from sixteen eighteen years ex-
clusiou OF minors from offensive trials,
and establishment Of 4 division OF
public health nursing
Under the heading the protection
OF maternity and infancy" the code
commission proposed legislation which
would regulate and license rufdwfves
in kansas Under this heading. also, :
the legislature will be urged to an
propriate SI6-92252 70 the division OF I
child hyEieus OF the state board OF
health. in order that Kansas may re- I
ceiTe her maximum allotment OF SIS
s@252 under the Sheppard-Towuer
maternity act recently passed by COZ ]
gress. Kansas full amount OF this {
federal aid vas $2I.g22-52. but 5000 :
OF this IS granted fatty 70 the state
annually for two years
The bill asking for establishments Of :
homes for INDECENT pregnant women
and abandoned infants. in connection
with the University hospital at Rose
dale. viii call for $40 600 appropr1a- $
ton the report declares This amount 5
- considered merely sufficient to ! ?
rent = house and maintain the receiv- :
ing home on 4 simple scale for the /
biennial period 7
The commission s-<uagfy recon- Z
mends that liberal financial support :
be given TO the agencies already e. c
abltshed By legislative act for tbs g
protection OF the children OF rha 6
state" the report concludes I
nHuC m D0nINF 70 nrHn