The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-20
SOC Al WELFARE
 WORK PROGRESS |S FOUND IN q \ ! [
Eighth Annual Conference al Montgomery Finds Some
 Laws Yet Needed
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
 THE AGE-HERALD NopfOou1arv AJo Marrh 10

Before an audience of workers in all lines of welfare and from all parts of the state problems of ad- ministration of laws providing for the protection of children, recrea- ton and health as bearing on the life work of many persons in Alabama were discussed by trained workers at the eighth annual conference of social workers Monday.
 Reports showed that while Ala bama needs additional legislation for the. protection of children, great progress has been made during the past four years and greater progress may be expected during the next four. Lee Bidgood. president of the conference, in closing the tJday's pro- gram, declared that ten years ago workers of other states were telling Alabama what should be done and now are telling amazing stories of what Alabama has done.
 The care of delinuent and defend ent children as wards of the state was discussed by Judge H. D. Murphy of Birmingham; l.. B. Green, director of children's aid; T. J. McCarty. of Montgomery, F. A. Culley of Bir- II mingham, and Miss Mariette A Smith of Montgomery.
 Recreation and health problems were presented and discussed by Miss Mary Hamilton Of Alabama City Miss Winifred Collins of Birming hanl, Hugh G. Grant of the state de- partment of education, Miss Nancy E. Lum of Birmingham. Cecil V. Fain of Huntsville, J. E. Harris of Tallassee and the enforcement and amendment of laws by Mrs. w. l.. Murdoch, Bir- mingham and E. J. Sudnall of Bir- mingham.
 Community On Trial.
 In his discussion of the juvenile court Judge Murphy stated that 1T working out the intricate problems involved disposing of cases of de- pendent children the community-no the child-is on trial. Judge Murphy declared that the juvenile cour would not be thought of regarding the child as a criminal and that 2 child under sixteen years of age i: unable to form criminal intent. Outlining the opportunities and the needs of the juvenile court, he said it should cover every square inch ol Alabama, in work as it does in law and that working through it or some similar mechanism the state must cover the need of every dependent or delinquent child.
 Every delinquent child cared foi by state institutions is the payment of debt society owed and failed to pay, she said.
 During the afternoon session J. E Harris of Tallassee told of the satis factory program made by men in de veloping scheme of self govern. ment.
 Laughter and tears were alter. nately caused by story from the ev. cry day life of the nurse and welfare worker as Miss Hamilton, told of the decline of the use of snuff, which 1t was said was the cause of many of the ills brought to the nurse and the physicians for treatment; anG as Miss Lum of the Avondale Mill; told of the three generations o1 Girls" in one folk dance, and of the happy faces of the children at work next day, or after a picnic. Mrs. w l.. Murdock of Birmingham made 8 plea for the active support of al social workers of Alabama for the proposed federal amendment as she discussed the status of the Alabama child labor law with reference to the proposed fe leral amendment"
 Alabama has the best child labor law in the United States" said Mrs Murdoch. but she declared the work can be more effective with the aid of the federal government.
 "I am trying to keep the boys ir school and to keep them out of jail,' said E. J. Sudnall, Birmingham at tendance officer. The news boys are potential business men," con- tinued MT. Sudnall as he reported his work with them in Alabama's largest Ri