Evening star., 1950-12-03
Youth Meeting
Gets Message
From Truman
Delegates Urged
To Press Efforts
For Children

President Truman declared yes.
terday the Nation must not lag
in its efforts to provide condi-
tions making it possible for "all
of our children to lead useful.
happy lives"
The Presidents admonition was
made to more than 5000 dele
gates gathering here for the op-
ening tonight of the Midcentury
White House Conference on Chill
dren and Youth in the National
Guard Armory.
The delegates. who are coming
from all sections of the country
as well as abroad, are to take
up the problem of how to help
all young persons to get a fair
chance at developing a healthy
personality. Similar conferences
have been held here every decade
since 1909, all under White House
auspices.
Presidents Message.
The Presidents message was
contained in the conference pro-
gram released yesterday. He de-
clared:
Your response to the call Of
this conference has been heart
warming. The devotion with
which you and other thousands
of our citizens have worked to-
ward this achievement makes me
deeply appreciative Of the privi-
lege of joining with you in the
project.
Invaluable as it is. the work
that already has been done is only
a prelude to that which must fol-
low. We must not, and I am
sure we will not. rest on our &C
complishments up to now. We
must not lag in our efforts to
provide those conditions which
would make it possible for all Of
our children to lead useful, happy
lives.
Its is particularly important in
today's troubled times that we
continue to move ahead toward
our basic objective-improvement
Of the well being of our children.
We must bend every effort toward
producing in future generations
more individuals with the matur-
ity and stability it takes to meet
and deal with difficult situations.
with new and perplexing prob
lens"
Conference Praised.
Mr.. Truman said the confer
ence is a unique demonstration
Of our democracy's concern for
its children" and is proof again
that our American tradition Of
free exchange Of fact and opinion
is living. working force"
Conference officials said the
number of delegates are more
than double any previous White
House Conference attendance. In
the past at least one session has
been held in the White House but
because of the reconstruction work
on the Executive Mansion, this is
impossible now. The Armory was
selected because of its adequate
size.
A total of 464 national organ
izations are sending delegates
who will meet through Thursday
in plenary sessions, 81 panels and
35 work groups.
President Truman addresses the
conference Tuesday at 10 am.
Federal Security Administrator
Oscar r. Ewing makes the OPEN
ing address tonight at 8 o'clock.
His subject is The Midcentury
White House Conference on Chill
dren and Youth-An Opportunity
and Responsibility for Amer
leans"
DIR. Spock to Speak.
A major address tomorrow is
that of DR.. Benjamin Spock, CO.
director Of the Rochester (Minn.)
Child Health Institute. Melvin A.
CHASER. executive director of the
conference, will give an interpre-
tation of conference plans and
procedures.
More than hundred organiza-
tions have exhibits at the Armory.
Workers were busy until late last
night preparing their booths.
For the first time, young peo-
pie will share in the proceedings.
About 500 youth delegates are ex-
pected. District youth will be rep
resented by the following:
Lois Baldwin, Mt. Carmel Bap-
tist Church; Mary Ann Bogley,
Trinity College; Inez Devils, South
east Settlement House; Martin
Dillon, Big Brothers, Inc; HON.
mer c. Eliades, George Washing
ton University; Terry Fritz, Cath
olic University; Theodore Goche-
nour. jr.. Mt. Vernon Place
Church; Mary Ann Herhusky,
Recreation Department; Donald
Grady, YMCA; Beulah Jones.
Dunbar High School; Nathaniel
Manning. Junior Police Corps;
Ann Richert. YWCA: Harold v,
Semling, jr., Washington Fedora
tion of Christian Youth; James
Summons, Industrial Home for
Boys; Theresa Thomas, MINERS
College, and Patricia Thompson,
Junior Red Cross.
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