Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-03-07
STATES CREATE
COMMISSION ON
CHILD WELFARE

To bring their laws concerning
children up TO goth century stand.
ards. - States and the District OF
Columbia have. at some time during
the past l2 years, created official com.
missions for the study and revision OF
ehild-welfare laws.
States In which such commissions
have done active work are: Con.
necticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana,
Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mime
sofa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hamp-
shire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio.
Oregon, South Carolina, South Dako.
Ia, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin. Three additional states
have had special committees for child
welfare legisfatiori These are: Alta.
hama, Colorado, aud Illinois. New
commissi ions are this year organizing
for work in Florida, Iowa, and Penn.
sylyania.
The organization and accomplish
ments of these commissions are de-
scribed in "A report of the Childfen's
Bureau of the II. $. Department oil
Labor made public today.
Laws concerning children have de.
yeloped unevenly and spasmodically
in the various states, il Is pointed out,
resulting in legal systems which IN
clude antiquated statutes IN one held,
progressive statutes in another, ana In
many cases, gaps in the laws at I'M
portant points. The object oil the
child welfare commission movement
has been to study all laws concerning
children, to revise and coordinate them
so that each state may afford the best
possible protection TO its children, and
through publicity and education TO
secure the cooperation of the public
In the effort to carry into effect the
changes recommended by the commits.
/ sion.
Commissions have considered a wide
variety of statutes affecting the IN
terests Of children. Some OF the sub
! ieets considered by many OF the com
missions include Juvenile courts, the
care of delinquent, dependent, ana
neglected children, mothers allow
ances, adoptions, children in industry
/ proteeiion Of maternity and infancy,
child health, and the general protee-
ton Of children Including marriages
and guardianship laws).
Among the most successful Of the
state commissions have been those OF
North Dakota, Virginia, and Mime
sofa. Out of % bills submitted to the
first session of the North Dakota
/ legislature following the report OF
It's commission, 20 were passed. In
| Virginia 18 out of the q bills recon
mended 10 the general assembly by
the commission were passed. In Min
nesota out OF the 43 measures recon-
mended 30 were enacted into law.
THE value of the work Of state
/ rbild-welfare commissions does not ll'
entirely In the percentage Of thell
recommended bills that are enacted
into law" the Children's Bureau point
out. "the real value Of the work Of
commission lies In the edueatlona
work II has done, the interest 1t ha
stimulated, and the unity OF purpoE
that it has developed among the chlld
welfare workers Of the state, fully a
mach as in the program OF leRsla
ton that it has succeeded IN piaclnl
upon the statute books"
. As an example Of successful wor
by a state ehild-welfare commission,
, summary Of the achievements Of IN
] NUTAH bahbld NliiiAtNh y N@A'N @''s
! sion. one Of the most recent comms
sions, is given. The commission be
! Gan its work by making studies Q
; child-welfare conditions in the stat'
r These studies not only showed IN
, neds Of the children throughout tn
: state but also interested parents an
local communities in the commission
I work. On the basis Of the facts 8,
z cured. the commission drafted bil
: providing for modern standards In n
e laws concerning illegitimate ehildre
mothers pensions, adoption, the 81
pervision Of homes and institution
:. the care and treatment Of cripple
h children, child labor, school atten'
aaee. abandonment or neglect Of Wi
= and child, and the guardianship
] children.
During 1923 new commissions wel
a authorized or existing commission
+ were at work in Delaware, Florid
Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Marylaf
+ New York, Pennsylvania, South ID
+ kota, Utah, and the District Of Colur
bia.