Woman's enterprise., 1922-07-03
WHAT THE FEDERATION
OF WOMEN'S CLUBS
IS DOING

IS DUNG
Federation activities during tha
month of June have been confined al
most entirely to legislative work. At
the present writing, with the end of
the legislative session only a few
days off, it is impossible to tell the
results of this work, as each day sees
changes in the status OF
the bills that the federation is in
terested in.
It may not be out Of place, how
ever, to give a brief summary of the
work that has been done and what
has, so far, been accomplished. A
Mothers Pension bill, which failed to
pass, was introduced by the Louisiana
League of Women Voters at the spe-
cial session of 1921. The federation
at its annual meeting in November,
1921, voted to endorse such legisla-
tion and the bill was rewritten and
introduced at this session of the legis-
lature by Representative Tobin of
Natchitoches parish. The women of
the federation and the federated
clubs were asked by the state chair
man of legislation, Mrs. Sessions, to
urge the passage of the bill and to
ask their respective legislators to
vote for it. The bill passed to third
reading in the House of Representa-
tives, but was defeated on final pas
sage by only five votes.
A bill offered by MIR. Dymond of
Plaquemines parish, authorizing the
state to accept the money appropriat-
ed by the Federal government under
the Sheppard-Towner act, passed the
House with only four opposing votes
on final reading, but has met with un-
expected opposition in the Senate, and
its passage at present is uncertain.
The Sheppard -Towner bill, called the
Maternity and Infant Hygiene act, IS
a General Federation measure, which
passed Congress last November by
the earnest efforts of clubwomen all
over the United States. The ad-
vantages it offers have been accepted
by all the states but three. Louisiana
being one Of the three, and the club
women of Louisiana were also asked
by Mrs. Sessions to use their iri1u-
ence to secure the acceptance of this
fund for work in Louisiana toward
the preservation Of the lives Of moth
ers and babies.
Mrs. Patti Ruffin Jacobs Of Ala
bama, Vice President of the National
League of Women Voters, DR.. Maud
Loeber of New Orleans, Mr.. Dymond,
the proponent Of the bill and Mrs.
Reed spoke before the Senate COM
mittee on Public Health in behalf of
the measure.
The kindergarten bill, giving school
districts the right to vote tax for
the maintenance of Kindergartens,
has been very ably handled by a
committee from Shreveport, headed
by Mrs. S. P. Weaver. The publicity
work done by this committee has
been unusually fine. The bill was in
troduced by Mr.. Douglas of Caddo
parish, who has been untiring in his
efforts to pass the measure, and an
interesting hearing was held before
the House committee on Education.
Mrs. Weaver, Mrs. Gorton, Miss
Shuster, Mrs. J. P. Hird, Mrs. Pleas
ant, Mrs. Wilkinson, Mayor Ford and
Mr.. Breithaupt all of Shreveport;
Mrs. Abbott, Mrs. Royal Tucker and
Mrs. Reed of Baton Rouge spoke in
favor Of the measure. A favorable
report was made by the committee
and the bill stands a very good chance
to pass.
Mrs. Trousdale of Shreveport and
Miss Dorothy Schultz of Monroe,
State President of the Business and
Professional Women's Clubs appeared
with Mrs. Reed before the house COM
mittee on appropriations, asking for
funds to establish and maintain the
Louisiana Industrial Home for Wom-
en- and Girls created by an act of
the legislature of 1920. This meas
ure was advocated by the federation
convention Of 1921 and by the Busi-
ness and Professional Women's Clubs
at their spring meeting in 1922. An
appropriation was agreed to by the
committee, to be taken from the rev.