Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20

dress last night before the White House
Conference on Child Health and Pro-
lection follows: &
Something more than year ago ]
called together small group of repre-
| sentative men and women to take the
initial steps In organization Of this
Conference on Child Health and Pro-
lection. Under the able Craftsmanship
of Secretary Wilbur, and the executive
direction OF DR.. Barnard, organization
was perfected and enlarged, until by
the Fall Of last year something over
1900 of our fellow citizens were enlisted
from every field Of those who have given
q lifetime of devotion to public meas
ures for care of childhood. These skill
have given unsparingly and unselhshly
Of their time and thought in research
and collection of the knowledge and
experience in the problems involved
Their task has been magnihcently per-
formed, and today they viii place before
you such a wealth of material as was
never before brought together.
I am satisfied that the three days
of your conference here will result in
| producing to our country from tht;
| material q series Of conclusions anc
| judgments Of unprecedented service ir
behalf of childhood, the benefits Of
which will be felt for full generation
UnseIfish Work Praised.
I wish to express my profound appre-
citation to all those who have so gen.
erously contributed the time and thought
and labor to this preparation, and tc
you for giving your time to its con-
sideration. The reward that accrueS tc
you is the consciousness of something
done unselfshly to tighten the burdens
of children, to set their feet upon sureI
paths to health and well-being and hap
pinesS. For many years / nave hoped
for such q national consideration as
this. You comprise the delegates ap-
pointed by our Federal departments anc
by the Governors of our States, the
mayors of our cities, and the repre-
sentatives of our great national ssso-
Citations, our medical and public health
professions. In your hands rest the
knowledge and authority outside OF the
home itself.
In addressing you whom see before
me here In this Auditorium, I am mind
| full also of the unseen millions listen
ing in their homes, who likewise are
| truly members of this conference, fol
these problems are theirs-it Is theil
children whose welfare Is involved, its
helpful services are for them, and their
cooperation is essential in carrying
out q uDlbeQ ana NablO1l-WloC cI1OAb ~
behalf of the children.
We approach all problems of child
hood with affection. Theirs Is the
province of joy and good humor. They
are the most wholesome part of the
| race, sweetest, for they are freshel
from the hands of God. Whimsical, in
genious, mischievous, we live life OF
apprehension as to what their opinion
may be of US; a life of defense against
their terrifying energy; We put them
to bed with a sense Of relief and 9
lingering Of devotion. We envy them
! the freshness of adventure and dis
covery of life; we mourn over the dis
appointments they VIII meet.
Safeguards Are Emphasized.
The fundamental purpose of this
conference is to set forth an under
standing of those safeguards which will
| assure to them health in mind and
body. There are safeguards and serv-
Ices to childhood which can be pro-
Ivided by the community, the State, OF
the Nation-all of which are beyond
the reach Of the individual parent. We
approach these problems in no spirit
of diminishing the responsibilities and
values or invading the sanctittes OF
those primary safeguards to child life
/ their homes and their mothers. After
we have determined every scientific fact
after we have erected every public
safeguard, after we have constructed
every edifice for education or training
or disqualification or play, yet all these
things are but a 1.-THE Of the physical
moral and spiritual gifts which mother
hood gives and home confers. None OF
these things carry that affection, that
devotion of soul, which is the great
endowment from mothers. Our pur-
pose here today Is to consider and give
our mite of help to strengthen her hand
that her boy and girl may have fair
chance.
Our country has a vast majority OF
competent mothers. am not so sure
Of the majority Of competent fathers
| But what we are concerned with here
| are things that are beyond her power
That is what Susie and John take on
when out from under her watchful eye
| She cannot count the bacteria in the
| milk: she cannot detect the typhoid
which comes through the faucet, or the
| mumps that pass around the play
| ground. She cannot individually con-
/ troll the instruction Of our schools or
the setting up Of COMMUNICATIVE rem
edy for the deficient and handicapped
| child. But she can insist upon on
| Gals who hold UP standards OF pro-
| lection and service to her children
and one Of your jobs is to define these
standards and tell her what they are.
She can be trusted to put public on
/ Gals to the acid test Of the infant
| mortality and service to children in the
town-when you set some standard for
her to go by.
Problem Is Complicated.
These questions of child health and
| protection are q complicated problem,
requiring much learning and much ac-
ton. And we need have great con-
Germ over this matter. Let no one be-
lieve that these are questions which
should not stir nation; that they are
below the dignity Of statesmen or gov
! ernments. If we could have but one
generation of properly born, trained
educated and healthy children, thou
sand other problems of government
would vanish. We would assure our
selves of healthier minds In more Wig
orous bodies, to direct the energies Of
| our Nation to yet greater heights OF
| achievement Moreover, one good
community nurse viii save dozen fu-
| ture policemen.
| Our problem falls into three groups:
First, the protection and stimulation
L