Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20
Groups Convene After Chair
men Submit Reports in Full
to Conference.
HEALTH CONSOLIDATION
MAY BRING CONTROVERSY
Stress Laid on Fact That Only One
Fourth Between 3 and 8 Are
in Kindergartens.

With the phrases Of President Hoo
ver's appeal for childhood lingering In
their ears, the 5000 delegates to the
White House Conference on Child
Health and Protection settled down to
hard work in committee meetings
this morning -hewIng out the building
stones Of happier and more competent
citizenship for the next generation.
It was essentially an effort TO get
at the facts Of childhood In . new age
and to clear away the vast accumula-
ton Of superstitions and platitudes that
have grown up around that part Of the
race which, in the words Of the Presi-
dent, sis freshest from the hands Of
God"
The reports Of the committee chair
men were presented In complete form
and criticized and amended by the dele
gates, 30 as to form the basis Of TAR
reaching research, educational and
construction programs.
More Facts Are Needed.
In nearly all the committees the APP
neal was for more knowledge OF the
child himself and the actual conditions
Affecting what was termed by the Presi-
dent the realm Of Joy and good
humor." Chairmen repeated again and
again that more facts were needed 1Or
more valid conclusions.
The only note Of possible controversy
was found in plan for consolidating
under the Public Health Service al
public health activities, possibly includ-
ing the Children's Bureau, when
formed part Of report Of the PuDllc
Health Service section, OF which surg.
cen, HUGH s. Cumming is chairman.
The spirited controversy over the
recommendation that public health
Activities Of the Children's Bureau
should be placed under the Public
Health Service arose ct the meeting o.
the section this morning: protest was
read from IL wornen's organizations.
including the American Association q
university Women, the American Fed
Grafton 81 Teachers, the American Home
Economics Association, the American
Nurses Association. the Council q
Women for Home Missions, the National
BOARD OF the Y. w. G. A., the National
Consumers League, the National Coun-
ell Of Jewish Women, the League q
women Voters and the National
Woman's Trade Union League.
Miss Abbott Protests.
Miss Grace Abbott head Of the Chill
dren's Bureau, protested personally
against the report. kilograms uphold
ing Miss Abbott's position were read
from members Of the faculty OF the
yale school of Medicine, Johns Hop
kins University, the University Of Chi
cago and Washington University OF %.
Louis.
The meeting, which was closed TO
the public and which was presided over
by DR.. Haven Emerson OF New YORK, Is
reported to have been very spirited,
with Or. Emerson at one point accusing
Miss Abbott of making "a malicious
and mischievous misstatement of fact. "
Bishop James e. Freeman at Q meet
ing of the Committee on Youth Out
side the Home, stressed the unscientifc
method of religious education and the
need for the church to stick TO its JOB
of religious education. The stand
ard of schools for religious education
Is far below that of ordinary secular
schools, said Bishop Freeman. The
church, he declared, should not try
to compete with other agencies bet
ter equipped to handle problems OF
directing leisure of boys and girls.
1--WE are making our pastors into
mechanics and administrators instead
of prophets Of God" said Bishop Free
man.
Nearly all the committees stressed
the changing conditions Of American
life with the drift Of the populations to
the congested living conditions Of the
cities, the fewer activities centeretd in
the home, the increased stresses of
ways of living, all Of which, 1t was
pointed out. are bringing unSolved
problems into the lives Of children.
1t was pointed out by one committee
that, despite the increasing scientific
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