The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-10-24
NORTH DAKOTA
WELFARE LAWS
ARE PRAISED
c. L. Young of Bismarck Tells
Social Work Conference
That Advance Has Been
Made
MUCH YET TO BE DONE

Minot, N. D., Oct. 24.--North Da-
kota now has good system of vel
fare laws, particularly with relation
to children, but needs adequate adj
public opinion, c. l.. Young of Bis
marck president of the North Dako-
tn Conference Of Social Work, told
the conference in his presidents adj
dress here last. night.
Law in the broad sense is the
basic thing" said Mr.. Young. with
out it society is chaos. With it,
to the greatest number may be, ulti-
mately achieved. But l am more and
more convinced Of the futility Of STA
tutes alone. They may, and often do,
present problems rather than solu-
tons Of problems, and child welfare
laws are no exception to this rule.
! They may be we'll conceived but they
wisely administered, and wise ad
ministration is impossible unless
back of it lie understanding and dis
cernment on the part of the public
| and the executive officials.
Laws Enacted
"From the study of the conditions
in this state made by or for the
children's code commission, and from
consideration Of child welfare stan
dards laid down by those conferences
of experts in which standards were
considered l feel that the laws now
upon our books are the expression
of the best thought of our time upon
the problems which they seek to
reach. There are two or three mea-
suIes of prime Importance which
were defeated and which shall re-
quire our consideration at later ses-
sions of the assembly, but there are
other things Of outstanding import
ance now lying at hand to do.
| Mr.. Young declared the viewpoint
that measures for the relief of un-
fortunates were acts Of charity was
wrong. He declared "there is slight
conception of the relation of the
welfare of such classes to the gen.
eral welfare of society and too little
knowledge of the objective toward
which the laws providinp for them
are directed. It follows that the Of
ficials who are required " g,. ne
laws effect must conduct their work
in advance of the understanding of
the public whose servants they are,
else they fail entirely to achieve the
results for which the laws were de-
signed"
An Opportunity
Here them" President Young con-
tinued, "is something constructive to
be done. Welfare legislation will not
accomplish it's purposes unless there
is Interpretation of the laws to the
; pubic, for it is not conceivable that
the administration of the laws will
| be far in advance of the conception
| of them entertained in the public
mind. There must be knowledge not
only of what the laws contain, but Of
the theories which underlie them.
True, the aim Of the legislation
which we have is to help the indivi-
dual members of the groups toward
| which the laws are specifically di-
| rected, but after all the great objec-
tive is the protection of society as a
whole. These laws in fact affect the
material and spiritual welfare OF
every citizen of the state When
care and training are provided for a
crippled, or deaf, or a dumb or u
blind, child, there is contribution not
only to the child's comfort but fun
damentally there is a purpose to
relieve society from later burden
and make it possible for the child to
function normally as member of
his community. In ministering to
the neglected, there is desire to
place within their grasp the means
Of lifting themselves outside the
neglected class. Always the great
end of society is itself and, in serv-
ing society We are securing to those
who are handicapped in one way or
another, the blessings of help and
self dependence and happiness"
Visitors Welcomed.
The visitors to the conference were
welcomed last night by w. M. Smart,
president of the Minot city commits
sion: The program included also an
address by DR.. Thomas Kane, presi-
dent of the University Of North Da-
kota.
A busy day was on the program
today. 1t incllded discussion by
Miss Henrietta Lund Of the chill
dren's bureau, Bismarck; DR.. John
Gillette, professor Of sociology, Uni
versity of North Dakota; talks by
DR.: A. R. T. Wylie, superintendent
Ct the home for the feeble-minded,
Grafton; DR.. Humpstone, Univer-
sity of North Dakota; w. F. McClel-
land, superintendent state training
school Mandan.