Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1918 — IS THIS THE TIME TO FUSS WITH BABIES? [ARTICLE]

IS THIS THE TIME TO FUSS WITH BABIES?

Why should we fuss with babies now? This is a question which women may well be asking, for they are busy’with surgical dressings and knitting things essential to the comfort of the soldiers. But the peace of mind of the father who is soldiering in France depends on knowing that his helpless children at home are safe, and war conditions affect children in a hundred ways, although American children have escaped the more startling horrors which have darkened the lives of the children of war ravished France and Belgium. The Children’s bureau of the U. S. Department of Labor has aked the men and women who are working to win the war not to forget the war time needs of all of America’s children whether their fathers are fighting for their country in the trenches in France or here behind the lines. It asks that the protection given all of America’s children be increased now when the foundation of the country’s future strength and democracy are being laid, for, “The health at the .child is the power of the nation.” This war time work for children is called Children’s Year. Its goal is to save the lives of 100,000 children under five years of age during the second year of the war. This means the saving of one-third of the threehundred thousand lives of children under five which are lost every year in the United States. Authorities agree that at least half of these deaths could be prevented if knowledge of the best modern methods of child care and facilities for following out the directions given by skilled specialists were accessible to all children instead of to comparatively few. If America can prevent even part of these deaths she will have demonstrated her ability to get for children a better chance of life and health. England and France have realized that work for better Children is vital war work and England has proved the value of what she has done by bringing down her baby death rate to the lowest point in her history. Their achievements are an inspiration to the eleven million women of the woomen’s committee of the council of National Defense who have determined that 100,000 childrens lives shall be saved in Children s now has 9,790 local units. A constantly increasing number of these units are undertaking to forward work that will enable communities to give their children a better chance. Rensselaer is one of these units. Let us strive to make it one of the best in the amount of work accomplished. —Mrs. J. I. Gwin, Chairman Child Welfare Committee.