Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-30
HOOVER CITES TASK
OF CHILD WELFARE
President Calls Committee to
Inaugrate Program-WiI-
bur Heads Work.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Looking to a national scale organiza-
ton in behalf of the Nations great
est asset" its children, President Hoo
yer has set his planning committee of
experts to the task Of preparing the
groundwork of fact and experience for
a White House conference, probably a
year or Is months from now, on child
health and protection.
The committee, comprising authori-
ties in various fields of child welfare
work, Is headed by Secretary Wilbur,
and is equipped with a 100000 fund,
subscribed from private sources and ad-
ministered by Edgar Rickard of New
York, to finance the preliminary work.
the contemplated conference and the
program that will be evolved.
Hoosier Is Secretary.
DR.. E. H. Barnard of Indianapolis Is
executive secretary, and the member
ship includes Secretary Davis of the
Labor Department. About 20 subcom-
mittees will be organized, at the Presi-
dents suggestion. to make intensive
as the growth and development of chill
dren, medical service, public health adj
ministration and care Of those mentally
or physically handicapped.
Emphasizing that the project Is -
most important movement to the Ma
ton as a whole" Mr.. Hoover called
upon the planning committee. which
gathered at the White House yesterday
afternoon, to take a national stock OF
the progress and present situation IN
the health and protection Of childhood"
and expressed hope that "out of this
investigation we should also develop
common sense plans for the further adj
vancement in these directions"
1.-THE greatest asset of race Is its
children" he said, THAT their bodily
strength and development should pre-
pare them to receive the heritage which
each generation must bequeath to the
next. These questions have the widest
of social importance, that reaches to
the roots of democracy itself. BY the
safeguard Of health and protection OF
childhood we further contribute to that
equality of opportunity which Is the
unique basis Of American civilization"
Definite Organization Ahead.
After the planning committee has
completed its investigations, he ex-
planned, the White House conference
OF public oficials, associations and
others interested will be called to con-
slider recommendations, and the policies
it adopts are to be followed up by def
mite organization throughout the coun-
try.
While he recognized that major prog
ress must depend on voluntary action
and activities by local governments. ne
suggested that 1--WE may save years OF
progress II we can secure some
measure of unity as to view and unity
as to program" based on certain ex-
animation of facts and experience"
The full text of President Hoover's
address was as follows:
Through Secretary Wilbur and Sec
rotary Davis have invited you here as
the nuclei of a planning committee 10
q most important movement
to the Nation as whole; that Is, we
should take q national stock OF the
and present situation IN the
health and protection OF childhood:
that out of this investigation we should
also develop common sense plans for the
further advancement In these d1rec-
tons.
Suggests Conferences.
ct have suggested that in order that
these investigations and recommenda-
tions NAV be brought about In the most
effective manner, that number OF COM
mittees should be organized to cover
different phases Of the subject, en-
bracing the leadership in thought and
knowledge of the subject throughout /
the Nation; that after these investiga-
lions have been carried forward and
reached by these commit
tees, then we should call White House
conference Of public officials, associa-
tons and others interested IN these
to consider recommendations.
Further, that such of the policies that
may be adopted by that conference
should be followed up by definite or
ganization throughout the country.
Task an Important One.
"We realize that major progress in
this direction must be made by volun-
tary action and by activities OF local
government. The Federal Government
has some important functions to per-
form in these particulars, all of which
will need to be considered, but we may
save years in national progress II we
can secure some measure OF unity as
to view and unity as to program, more
as these views and programs
are to be based on certain examination
Of facts and experience.
Generous means have been provided
to enable you to carry forward this task
without difficulty, and wish to assure
you Of the complete support OF the
executive.
st need not urge upon you the funda-
mental importance of this undertaking.
The greatest asset of q race Is its chill
dren, that their bodily strength and de-
should prepare them to re-
ceive the heritage which each genera
ton must bequeath to the next. These
questions have the widest Of social inn
portance, that reaches to the roots Of
itself. BY the safeguard Of
health and protection Of childhood we
further contribute to that equality of
which Is the unique basis
Of American civilization"