The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-08-10

- allC -. bdNlo VI
Editors Note: Secretary of Labor
James J. Davis is already known to
every American citizen, not alone be-
cause he is secretary and a member
of the Presidents cabinet, but be-
cause the personality Of the man and
his aims and ambitions are of a sort
to command attention and respect. He
is, and has been, greatly interested in
the children of the nation. Here he
presents some problems and some re-
NEEDLES.
No higher duty rests upon 9 the
American citizen Of today than his
duty to the coming generations. This
duty is two-fold. 1t demands that the
American of today foster and preserve
the high ideals Of America and Amer
icanism as conceived by the Fathers
Of the Reptile, and that he hand
down to the mex generation the prin-
ciples of the republic unsullied and
unstained. But it also demands that
he provide a virlie, healthy next gen.
Grafton to continue the nations march
toward higher and better things, a
generation endowed with the physical
and mental strength and courage that
are vital if the fundamental institu-
tions Of u form of government are
to be preserved and the high hopes
and aspirations Of the inspired pa
triots who founded the republic are
to be carried on to realization.
America today may well profit by
the warning set forth in the Old Tes-
lament: "Spake l not unto you say
ing DO not sin against the child; and
We would not hear? Therefore be-
hold, also, his blood is required"
Truly America Of the future will be
forced to pay in blood for the child
who today goes down to his grave be-
fore his time, driven by a nations ne
glect or by the untimely exploitation
of industry, whose greed blots out the
instincts Of humanity.
All America is gradually awakening
to the vital Importance Of the problem
of the child, and from one end of the
country to the other, there are coming
ilIO CAloIChCC O1SdulLdllOHO III Ilc
promotion of the welfare of the child
rem. Government has joined hands
with private philanthropy in the work
of saving children. Federal and. state
authorities are responding to the
growing sentiment among the people
that America must do it's full duty by
= the coming generation. We are NOV
ing in the right direction. We must
move more rapidly.
America loves her babies, but there
are min other countries where a new
born baby has a better chance Of
growing to healthy childhood than in
America. America reverences it
motherhood, but there are seventeen
other countries where it is safer for a
woman to become a mother. The fed
eral government, to overcome this
handicap against the mothers Of our
future generation and the babies that
make up that generation, has invested
this year $1,240, 900 in the enterprise
of saving infants and mothers. Under
the Shepherd-Towner law, administer
ed through the Children's Bureau of
the Department of Labor, the spending
of this money rests with the individual
states, and the funds are allotted to
the states which accept the benefits of
the law, to be used directly in service
n instructions for mothers and
babies. The state plans for maternity
and infant aid are submitted to the
Federal Board of Maternity and In
FAINT Hygiene, and the approval Of the
board clears the way for the allotment
of funds and the immediate beginning
Of the work Of saving lives.
The plans for this work drawn by
the states show a broad appreciation
of the problem. They differ widely
because many Of the states have been
backward in the development of this
line Of government activity. AS
fundamental steps, these states pro-
pose to insure accurate birth regis
tratiOn, improved milk supplies, and
state surveys of medical and nursing
facilities for maternal and infant
care. In states with well organized
child hygiene services where the pio-
nee stage of the work has been pas
sed, increased numbers Of country
and community public health nurses
who will make accurate surveys of
facilities for maternal care and pro-
vide instructions for mothers both in
classes and at home are to be pro-
vided. So far but three states have
declined to cooperate with the Fed
eral government in this work. and
they are at work on the problem as
a state measure. The experience Of
the workers in the campaign for saw
ing babies has demonstrated that the
fathers and mothers of the country
are eager to help.