Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-10
Secretary Says Confusion
Results From Duplication
by Government Bureaus.
CENTRALIZED CONTROL
PROPOSAL OPPOSED
Interior Department Head FavorS
Coordination of Local We'll
fare Agencies.

The various governmental bureaus
working for the promotion Of child
health, education and welfare overlap
IN their activities, resulting in confusion,
Secretary of Interior Wilbur told the
May Day Child Health committee chair.
man from eafn Of the 40 States, meet.
ing today at the Carlton Hotel.
Secretary Wilbur expressed himself
definitely against centralized control of
child health work and hit the lack of
coordination which he said exists
among the various Federal agencies,
The meeting this morning, sponsored
by the American Child Health Associa-
ton, OF which President Hoover for
merly was the head, is for the purpose
OF planning local celebrations through
out the country May /, in connection
with President Hoovers proclamation
designating May day child health day,
There are two viewpoints of the
proper development of the child health
movement, Secretary Wilbur declared,
one, he said, is that we should have a
great national organization, embracing
every American town and regulating the
care and education Of children. He said
the other vision was coming together
OF local forces in each community, con-
stantly growing in power and adapted
TO the local needs.
Il belong to the county seat group"
Secretary Wilbur asserted. st am with
the local crowd. Whether the children
OF the country are properly cared for
depends not on some official in Wash
ington, but on the neighbors. The con-
trast Of these two viewpoints in gov
eminent is not new. But believe that
Crue democracy can be attained only
by local control of affairs"
There Is need, however, he said.
1or central organization which would
fol Id
necessary funds. At present this lead
ership, exercised by Federal bureaus in
washington, results in considerable
confusion in the field. There are sew
eral bureaus doing the same work In
different ways, he said, and they must
coordinate their efforts If they are to
be efficient.
Explains Work of Conference.
The meeting this morning also was
addressed by DR.. H. E. Barnard, direc-
tor Of the White House Conference on
Child Health, of which Secretary Will
bur Is chairman. He explained the
work of the conference, which he said
was progressing satisfactorily.
Miss Grace Abbott, chief of the Chill
dren's Bureau; DR.. G. c. Pierce of the
Public Health Service, and DR.. Walter L.
Treadway, who only this morning was
notified that he has been appointed as
Sistant surgeon general, also spoke.
Mrs. Aida de Acosta Breckenridge, ma
tional child health May day chairman,
presided, and said few words of greet
ing, as did DR.. S. j. Crumbine, general
executive OF the American Child Health
Association.
The general committee for Washing
tons part in the Nationwide observance
OF May l as Child Health day, was or
ganized yesterday afternoon when rep.
resentativeS of public and voluntary
health agencies and Of the public and
parochial schools met In the District
Building in response to call from the
chairman, DR.. Joseph A. Murphy, chief
DR.. Murphy presided and Miss Mary z.
Gordon, public health nurse, was chosen
secretary OF the committee. Other Off
GERS named were DR.. E. j. Schwartz and
DR.. Hugh j, Davis, vice chairmen, and
Mrs. Ernest r. Grant, treasurer.
Hoover Issues Proclamation.
President Hoover yesterday called
upon all people and all agencies inter-
eSted In boys and girls "to assist every
reasonable effort of their communities
to make this day for organizing and
co-ordinating interest In child health"
The text of the proclamation follows:
by the President Of the United
States Of America.
"a proclamation.
whereas the Congress, by joint reso-
luton, has authorized and requested
the President of the United States Of
America to proclaim annually that May
day is Child Health day; and
Whereas all the States of the Union,
! together with Alaska and Porto Rico,
| through their health officers, medical
| societies and other agencies of good
| will, with the support of their respec-
tive governors, are now actively sup
| porting organized child health pro-
grams; and
Whereas the White House Confer
ence for Child Health and Protection,
composed of groups distinguished in ali
the vital phases of child life, is mobiliz-
ing knowledge in practical application
| for submission to the country at large;
| and
Whereas, while applied science and
invention have given us world leader
ship in mechanical processes, we shall
| fall short of our highest aspirations
If we fail to practice all that science
can give in service Of our fundamental
aSset-our children; now
Therefore, I, Herbert Hoover, Presi-
dent OF the United States Of America,
do hereby designate May first of this
year as child health day, and do in
Vte all our people and all our agencies
interested in boys and girls to assist
every reasonable enort OF their COM
munities to make this a day for organ
izing and co-ordinating interest in
child health.
"Our children have the right to be
born in health, to be we'll throughout
| babyhood and the pre-School years: to
be surrounded with moral and spiritual
! inspiration; to work and to play through
/ primary school with well minds based
on well bodies; to enjoy and to profit
| to the utmost by their higher schooling
because of wholesome habits of thought
and deed; thence to graduate into adult
life, strong in body and inculcated with
the sense of fair play and of RESPONSE
bility for the rights of others.
I'm witness whereof, have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the
United States to be fixed.
Done at the City of washington this
thirty-first day of March, in the year
| Of our Lord nineteen hundred and
thirty, and of the independence Of the
United States Of America the one hun
bred and f1fty-fourth.
(SeaD. HERBERT HOOVER.
by the President: