The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-01-29
RPYOUR
CHILDREN
Olive Roberts Barton Urges Care
And Treatment For IhOnsanos
az 1ur NeRIeCfed Children

Olive Roberts Barton Urges Care
And Treatment For Inomsanos
or Our Neglected Children
There is one good thing In Rus
sia and that is It's system OF free
HOSPITALS, nurseries aT1w Clinics VI
course everything Is state run ana
consequently the people themselves
pay for It indirectly, out oil ther
meager earnings.
But Just the same the hospltaIb
are there and so are the nurseries
and clinics, and children are cared
for. Whatever else Russia doesn't
do Il has an eye to the future ana
guards its children.
It is one thing believe we
should work toward in this coun-
try with greater persistence.
The Matter OF Aid
However the question OF easier
medication for the sick, and more
accessible scientific treatment OF
our children is an involved one.
We have learned by this time that
the "government" is not a thing
apart but our own selves. Any
money It spends or the state
spends, or even the city, IL our
own money. :,
Nothing is ever actually "frec"
| because the people have to foot the
bill in one form or another some
time.
Every state appropriates GER
| tain monies out of It's funds, tax
funds, for all but few of Its hos
pitfalls. What each hospital gets
from this source Is only small
percentage of its yearly expense.
As It Is, the free work done IN
hospitals Ii seldom covered by
state contributions. The deficit has
| to be made up from welfare drives,
private pockets and endowments.
Paying patients are fewer these
days and charity cases have dou-
bied and tripled. Most hospitals
are either in debt or are facing IT.
| Some have had to close altogether.
| What are the penniless to do?
It seems in a way that all has
been done that possibly could be
done under the present system.
And yet we are still confronted
with the fact that thousands of
| children need attention who can
not get 1t. And 1t comes at time
when mainutrition and bad hous-
| ing have created a sub-normal
| type of child physically. Care
| and treatment are indicated most
| emphatica1ly to-day II these chill
dren are to have future.
Look to the Future
| TOO few people realize that the
! eventual destiny OF any country
depends on the health. morale and
| fitness of its prescnt-day children.
When these underprivlleged chill
dren constitute az large percent
ageor population as they do to-day
serious results will be manifest
twenty years from now.
This, OF course, Is the social
point Of view but most legislation
must be approached thus rather
more than through sympathy If
anything is to be accomplished.
What can BIO done? Would
"chain" hospitals operate more
cheap1y? Would closer organiza-
ton help? If more money is not
available soon for our neglected
children In one way or another
the government, or states will pay
the bill eventually In other forms
anyway. The imperfect child grows
to more imperfect adult and 80
cicty will be caring for increased
thousands of these citizens In vari-
Gus kinds of institutions at state
expense. Crime itself IL an out
growth OF neglect In childhood.
Tuberculosis, insanity and mall
formed bodies are others. Is 1t
fair? Is II sensible?
The ma think, needs
| nrornnf MT an