Evening star., 1938-05-01
Miss Lenroot Urges Sane View
On Subject of Childbirth
Bureau Chief phasises
. Problem, of Shrinking
Population.
By PAULINE FREDERICK.

. ny nLDLANASns
= AmsItca must approach the subject
+: OF childbirth sanely and with greater
{: interest If child lives are to be saved
: and our growing problem of shrink,
F.: ing population is to be met.
f: These, in substance, are the views
of Miss Katharine F. Lenroot, chief
OF the Children's Bureau, on the eve
. Of Child Health Day.
In her own words:
"A declining birth rate makes the
: saving of infant life more important
every year. Our creates effort must
: be directed toward saving life at the
. source. The May Day-Child Health
Day slogan this year is Speed Chill
: dren on the Road to HEALTH This
does not mean doing hasty job of
child health protection. 1t means get
, ting the child off to a good start, lay
ing firm foundations, promoting sound
measures of health protection through
: every phase of childhood"
f: vitality Interested.
: This is the program that stretches
: ahead of the woman, who, since De.
cember /. 1884, has been staying long
: hours at her desk to help devise ways
:: and means of giving Americas millions
F; OF babies and their mothers a better
(: chance in life. You don't have to ask
I. why she is so vitally interested in her
subject. She volunteered her reason.
Here it is
. individual life is more important
today than ever before. Our very
:civilization is based on the importance
:of the individual We must start
with the health and well-being of
1.-THE childsif We are to have such a
F: society"
{; Making ready to strengthen the
ATTACK on the biggest problem facing
the Children's Bureau-the further
extension of services for the health
and well-being of children and moth
ers, especially before and at birth
and Immediately after-MiSs Lenroot
finds an aid in the film The Birth
Of a Baby"
The picture will help to increase
public interest in this important sub
ject." she declared There are pre-
sented, in very fine way, the es-
eential facts that everyone ought to
know"
Sees Hard Road Ahead.
Although much progress has been
made in child health work since the
Inauguration of Child Health Day
two years ago. and the adoption of
the Social Security Act, Miss Len
root sees long hard road ahead
There must be a reduction of the
high maternal mortality rate" she
declared.
There must be a reduction of the
infant death rate, especially in the
first week and month of life In
this connection, we need to devote
more attention to the care of prema-
ture babies.
- There must be more widespread
protection of children against COM
nlunicable disease Increased atten-
ton must be paid to the nutritional
needs of children. A large proportion
Of children suffering from physical
handicaps must be brought under cor
receive care. There must be general
support Of high standards of service
and larger appropriations for State
and local health agencies"
Miss Lenroot recalled there achieve
ments:
= One of the things that encourages
me most is the aroused public aware
. ness Of the need for health protection
Another cause for rejoicing is the
Extensive cooperation in promoting
: child health. All 4S States, Alaska
; Hawaii and the District of Columbia
: are now cooperating under the ma
/: ternal and child healthsservices made
: possible by the Social Security Act"
: tccpyrisht. 1888. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, IncD