Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-18
FEDERAL BUREAUS NOW WITH
US


US
How many OF US realize the extent
TO which under present arrange
ments and without any Child Labor
Amendment 1t Is possible for the
authorities at Washington through
the medium Of the chiidrcn's bureau
and the womsn's bureau TO guide.
encourage and otherwise help. with
advice based upon Investigation. in
correcting Ills affecting women and
children throughout the country.
The report OF the activities OF the
chiidren's bureau shows that scien-
tifc Investigations into problems at
tccting childhood wcfe made by
The bureaus divisions Of child
hygiene. maternity and infancy. and
the social and Industrial divisions.
Phases OF child welfare In nearly
every state In the union were touch
ed upon.
For one thing the bureau Is con-
Quoting a demonstration In treat
ment of the ricketts, In a New Haven
district. This denomination is to
cover a threc-year period. In the
schools OF Chelsea, Mass. another In
veNigation Is being made. that Of
the relation Of posture to physical
fitness. a special study Ii being
made OF standards OF administra.
ton OF mothers pension laws; in
Georgia. n study OF the care avail
able. to dependent. neglected and de-
iinquent children in 30 counties OF
that State.
Other studies included: "An an.
nlysls OF the statistics OF maternal
mortality; an annotated photography
on the growth aud development of
the normal child: q study Of play
and recreation for blind children;
the care OF children born out of we'd.
lock; the development and methods
Of family or transformations
courts, Industrial accidents TO young
workers under 81 In Wisconsin.
Massachusetts. and New Jersey:
laws affecting the employment of
children and their administration:
child workers In the fruit and
hop growing areas OF Washington
and Oregon: child labor In fish.
fruit and vegetable canneries in
Washington: vocational opportuni-
ties for minors; and work histories
of minors OF sub normal mentality
In seven cities"
administration OF the Maternity
and Infancy Act. Miss Abbott states,
,hrotgh which 20 states cooperated
With the United States Government
In an effort 10 improve maternity
and Infancy conditions. was carried
on by a staff OF s persons In the
Childrens Bureau, 4 physicians. u
consulting nurse. an accountant.
secretary. and stenographer.
Arrive cooperation with state bu-
reaus and commissions dealing with
children was maintained by the bu-
reau.' states the report.
The report Of the women's bureau
states that "the activities OF the bu-
reau charged with formulating
standards to promote the welfare OF
wage. earning women have been
varidd and extensive the past year.
Changes arc recommended In several
OF the states. To quote from 1t:
"outstanding problems connected
with the employment of women
which the bureau II planning To-
study In the immediate future are
com prehensive surveys of the al
most two million married women
WORKING for gain. Of the foreign
I ornl woman In industry, and OF the
resuts Of special legislation for wo.
men, especially the effects OF
minimum wage laws upon women's
industrial opportunities. Il
"EAch year the volume OF work
work which looms up as an essential
part .cf the bureaus program In
creases: state departments OF LABOR; !
associations of employers anu
schools, colleges. universities. ana
wcmen's organizations as well as the
public In general repeatedly turn 10
the wcmens Bureau for Informal
ton pertaining to women In IN,
dustry. Accordingly. as the annuai
report declares. a larger appropria-
ton Is greatly needed to enable the
bureau to meet the many demands
made upon st."
Hero surely 10 indicated @ wide
scope of activity for Federal regula-
ton or interference with the states,
for getting Information respcceHs
actual conditions. Here Is evidence
Of the need Of more and more money
for these activities. Here. IL op-
portunity Tor formulating helpful
advice. for urging upon states and
the authorities aav grave needs, for
giving publicity to Negligence and
iniouity. And all those representing
the Federal Government in this
work naturally gravitate TO the
opinion that the way TO do these
things IL by direct action from
washington rather than through
the medium Of occasionally unsatis-
factory local authorities.
But our form Of government Is
based ou The principle Of local con.
troll 81 many Of the activities Of
life. With possibility OF Federal aid
and unifying methods. There is n
limit beyond which Il is not safe for
he Scops Of this Federal inter.
esrsIss to 50. It would seem trous
xeading these reports that this
plnik had been nearly II not quite
nooeAed ct the present dime.