Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31
AVOIDS OBSTACLES
TOCH|LD AID PLAN
Hoover Averts Danger of De-
lay in Health Move by Max
ing 1t Private Affair.

When Herbert Hoover was Secretary
things which were not strictly within
the Jurisdiction of his department but
in which the unofficial influence of the
Federal Government was paramount
factor.
Child welfare is hardly q Federal
function, except in an abstract sense,
but Mr.. Hoover has assembled a large
committee to study the. question in
order that the help of the Federal
Government and the States may be
applied for the general betterment Of
the country.
The President feels keenly the criti-
cism made in recent years that the
United States Government since the
war has devoted itself almost complete
ly to economic evolution and that the
old cry of the ProgreSSiveS for social
legislation has been more or less Stilled.
Mr.. Hoover considers himself Pro-
gressive and gave hint in his inau-
guaral address of his purpose to regard
social welfare legislation as vital in his
program. This was the policy of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, but not since the IA
nous Bull Moose platform of 1912 has
there been much heard on the subject,
though organizations like the National
League of Women Voters have been
trying to keep up interest in this phase
Of legislation for many years.
Aided by DIR. Wilbur.
Mr.. Hoover has at his right hand DR..
Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary of the
Interior, who is himself interested not
only in education but in social welfare.
Thus the President is assured OF
sympathetic execution of his plan, and
it is believed one of the reasons why
he was able to induce DR.. Wilbur to
abandon his university presidency was
the opportunity afforded the Secretary
of the Interior not merely to watch
such things as oil leases and pubic
lands, but to perform a useful SarVlcS
with reference to social welfare activi-
ties.
Mr.. Hoover has never been disturbed
by the specific limits of departmental
authority His campaign for the elm
ination of waste, which has been ac-
copied by industry, has really no sane
ton in Federal law, but the CO.
ordinating influence Of the Federal
Government can always be used TO as
semble interested parties in the nope
that they will themselves come to an
agreement When Mr. Hoover retlreSs
from the presidency some day 1t Will
be found that he has used thls CO.
ordinating influence, or moral power,
to the utmost. The formation OF
huge committee to study child welfare
with 20 or more subcommittee Is one
of the most important steps ever m
it;ated by the Federal Government with
respect to public welfare
Uses Personal Influence.
Mr.. Hoover has used his personal
influence as well. because he has as
sured himself of large contributions
from philanthropic sources to take care
of the expenses of the proposed con-
ference. which is to be held WITHIN
wear, Some day Congress may appro-
pirate money for such studies, but the
danger is delay and politics. For many
wears every suggestion that related 10
the spending of money for public health
has been fought by various groups. some
of which have felt that if the Federal
Government prescribed a certain form
of health development it would run
counter to elements which felt that this
was not the concern of the central Gov
eminent, but of the States. Also there
have been controversies inside the med
ical profession as to methods OF treat
ment, to say nothing OF the groups
which feel that the Government has
no business dealing with medical prob
lens at all.
The Shepherd-Towner law was an
attempt to reconcile these different
viewpoints in order that maternity aid
might be given, especially in the rural
districts, and some of the same oppo-
sition which appeared in connection
with that legislation undoubtedly would
crop up if Congress were asked to pro-
vide money for such conference as
the President now has called. Thus
Mr.. Hoover circumvents all the OBJ
stacles by making it a private affair
financed by private citizens with the
moral influence of the Chief Executive
giving the whole movement the mo-
nnentum it needed to get started. D. l..
(Copyright, 1920