Evening star., 1931-12-18
Praise Is Given Work
OF Children's Bureau
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
I have read the article appearing in
your paper on Monday, November Is,
reporting radio address by DR.. Will
liam Gerry Morgan, dean OF the George
town University Medical School and
| former president of the American Medi-
cal Association, regarding the Federal
Children's Bureau. / am only q young
| mother with no professional education
or training, except along business lines
yet cannot refrain from expressing my
| extreme indignation at some Of Dr..
, Morgan'S statements
| DR.. Morgan clearly shows his igno-
| rance and misinterpretation Of the Chill
| oren's Bureaus purpose, when he says
that the maternal mortality rate sta
tlstics are propaganda to "Standardize
chlldren, that 1T is a false and dan
gerouS form of propaganda and the
propagandiSts continue their campaign
| to frlghten American mothers into be-
| heVing that they would be better safe
| guarded If their treatment were pre-
scribed and supervised from Washing
| ton by the Federal Childrens Bureau -
| What kind OF propaganda is he
( spreading?
In the FIRST place fall TO see where
the Children's Bureau could destroy
any ptISOndl liberties or nome right
! either by present methods or by pro-
| posed legislation. II Dr.. Morgan would
read just a few pages Of the Children S
! Bureau publications, Prenatal Care
and Infant Care" he would learn that
they do not attempt 10 prescribe and
supervise treatment, nor take the place
| OF physicians: rather, they recommend
early and regular medical attention in
both prenatal and infant care. 1t was
the Childrens Bureau who impressed
! me with the Importance OF regular ex-
animation by competent physician
both OF myself and my baby!
In the second place even If they did
try TO "standardiZe" children. as Dr.
Morgan accuses them. 1t would be an
/ impOssibility, because the American peo-
! pie are too independent TO be standard
lied. Every mother living. however in
telligent or dumb, will use her own
Judgment in bringing up her children
But An increasing number Of us are
seeking authoritative information on
how to safeguard the health of our
! selves and our children. instead Of lis
! tening to every well meaning friend or
| neighbor, who did thus and 50. or de-
| pending on our physicians 10 take the
| time to explain the small but important
details OF personal hygiene and proper
care, which the Children'S Bureau does
| in its booklets. A great many people
| probably in rural and tenement districts,
cannot AFFORD physicians and nurses or
hospital fees: they fail 10 realize the
! Importance of proper medical attention
and therefore hire uneducated un-
! trained midWiVes as they did IN Olden
| times, with disastrous results in many
cases
The only trouble with the Children S
| Bureau is that for lack of funds 1t
cannot send its excellent booklets free
| Of charge to every mother and pro-
spective mother in the country II all
| children were reared at least partially
! according to ChildrenS Bureau stand
| ards the future generation would be q
much healthier and happier one than
the present. Only depl0rably few
! women even know that such a bureau
| exists for their benefit. The advan-
tageS of proper child care could be gone
: into at length, even by lay person like
myself-and by child care l mean also
prenatal care. Although its advice
| cannot always be followed implicitly III
every case. I am eternally grateful for
the instructions gained from the Chill
| drens Bureau, and frequently refer to
its books and guidance.
| the maternity and infancy act will
again be presented And it may again
be rejected. because members of the
American Medical Association are not
broad-minded enough to realize its
value and Importance or are too jealous
to cooperate. Congress can pass bills
involving millions of dollars to main
tain large Army and Navy to destroy
human lie. 1t can pass a bill TO
destroy perfectly good public buildings
and build new ones in order to beau
tify Washington And it can pass
a tariff bill which helps to cause un-
employment and does no good to any
one. But it is aWfully hard work to
pass bill to protect the lives and
health OF mothers and babies!
| However. at DR.. Morgans suggestion.
I shall write to my Sena, orS and Rep
resentatives. But l shall urge them to
| support the bill. And when it is even
! tually passed. 1 shall not be afraid of
losing the "Sanctity' Of my homel
RUTH T. STRACHAN.