Show MESSAGE SENT TO CONGRESS President Roosevelt Urges Leg Legislation L Legislation g on Behalf of De Dc Dependent Dependent pendent Children REPORT OF CONFERENCE STRONG CASE MADE MAD OUT AND ANDr r ABLY PRESENTED f Washington Feb 15 The president sent Bent a special message to congress transmitting the report of the confer conference conference ence nce on the caro care of children It fol tol follows folS S lows Presidents Message On Jan 6 1809 1909 1 W there assembled in Inthis this city elly on my invitation a conference on 01 the care of dependent children c To this conference there came from nearly every state in the Union men and wo women women women men actively engaged In lii the care of de dependent pendent children and they represented all the leading religious bodies The subject considered Is one of 0 high importance to the of the na nation nation tion uon The census conus bureau reported in 1904 1001 that there were in orphanages and chil childrens childrens drens homes about dependent chil children children children dren There are probably more the precise pr number never having been ascer ascertained ascertained tamed In private homes either on board or in adopted homes provided by the generosity of foster foater parents In addition to these thoc there were children in In Institutions for juvenile delinquents Each of these children represents either a potential addition to the productive capacity and the tho enlightened citizenship of or the nation or if It allowed to suffer from neglect a potential addition to the destructive forces of or the tho community The Tho Thon ranks n of criminals and other enemies en of society P are recruited In an altogether un undue undue undue due proportion from children bereft of ot their natural homes and left without suf sufficient sufficient care Interests of Nation Involved The interests of the nation are involved in the welfare of this army array of children no less than in our great material af at affairs affairs fairs Notwithstanding Not a wide do diversity of I views and methods represented In the i conference and notwithstanding the vary a aIng ing legislative enactments and policies of ot th states from which the members came the conference at the close doso of its ses sessions sessions ions unanimously adopted a series of declarations expressing the conclusions which they the had reached r These constitute a It wise constructive e and progressive pro program program program gram of ot work If It given full 1 effect by the proper agencies existing methods and practices in almost every community would be profoundly and ad nd modified More Marc significant even een than the contents of the declarations is the fact that they were adopted without dissenting vote ote and with every demonstration of hearty heart ap approval approval approval on the part of oC all present They constitute a standard of accepted opinion by which each community should meas measure measure measure ure the adequacy of its existing met meth methods and to which each community should seek s k to conform Its legislation and its practice The Keynote The keynote kenote of the conference was ex expressed expressed expressed pressed in thes these words Home life la is the highest and finest product of civilization Children n should riot be deprived of it except for urgent and compelling reasons Surely poverty alone should not disrupt the home Parents Parenti of good character suf sut suffering BuffEring fering from temporary misfortune and above all deserving mothers fairly well able to work but deprived of the sup support support SUPport port of the normal breadwinner should be given such aid as may be necessary to enable them to maintain suitable homes for the rearing of their children The widowed or deserted mother if a good woman willing to work ork and to do her herbest herbest herbest best should ordinarily be helped in such fashion as will enable her to bring up her children herself in their natural home Children from unfit homes and children who have no homes hom s who must be bo cared for by charitable agencies should so far as practicable be cared for forin forIn forIn in families Conclusions Reached I transmit here lere with for your information Information information mation a copy COP of the conclusions reached by b the conference of which the follow following followIng followIng ing is a brief 1 I Home Care Children of worthy worth par parents parents parents or deserving mothers as a arule arule arule rule be kept with their parents at home 2 1 Preventive Work The effort should be made to eradicate causes of dependency dependency dependency dency such as disease and accident and to substitute compensation and insurance for relief 3 Home Finding Homeless and neg children if normal should be cared for in families when practicable I 4 Cottage System Institutions should be on the cottage plan with small units I as far as possible 3 Incorporation Agencies caring for tor dependent children should be incorporated on approval of a suitable state board 6 State Inspection The state should inspect the work of all agencies which care for dependent children 7 T Inspection of Educational Work ork Educational work of institutions and agencies caring for dependent children should be supervised by state educational authorities s sS 1 8 S Facts and Records Complete his histories hist historIes tories t of dependent children and their parents based upon personal investigation tion and supervision lon should be recorded for fr guidance of agencies 9 d Physical Care Every needy child should receive the best medical and sur surgical surgical surgical I attention and bo Instructed in health and hygiene 10 Cooperation Local child caring earing agencies should cooperate and establish joint bureaus of information 11 Undesirable Legislation Prohibitive legislation against transfer of dependent children between states should be re repealed repealed repealed pealed 12 Permanent perma permanent permanent permanent nent organization for work worl along the lines Unes of these resolutions is desirable le 13 3 Federal Childrens Bureau of a federal childrens bureau bureaus Is s desirable and enactment of pending bill Is earnestly recommended 14 Suggest special message to con gress gross favoring federal childrens bureau and other othe legislation applying above prin to District of Columbia and other federal territory Message Requested While it is recognized ed that these con can be given their fullest effect only by the action of nf the several states or communities concerned or of their charitable agencies the conference re quested me In Section 14 of their to send fiend to you a message mending federal action There are pending in both houses of con fess gress bills for the establishment of a childrens Children s bureau i e senate bill Xo No o 8 and house bill No These pro vide for a childrens bureau In the th de of the interior which shall Investigate and report r upon all matters Pertaining to the welfare of children and child life and shall especially investigate the questions of infant mortality the birth rate physical ph degeneracy orphanage ju venUe venile delinquency and Juvenile courts I desertion and illegitimacy me dangerous oc accidents and diseases of at chil chili i dren of the working classes employment ment legislation affecting children in the sev ee eral states and territories and such other facts as have a bearing upon the health efficiency character and training of chit chil dren d I I One of the needs felt most ost acutely uI by I the conference was that trat of accurate In InI I formation concerning these th e questions re reI I hating to childhood The national govern ment not only has the unquestioned right of research in such sueh vital vita Ital matters but it Is the Only agency which can effectively conduct such suh general inquiries as arc needed for the tho benefit of all our citi zens zent In accordance ac or ance with the unanimous rt quest of the conference I therefore most heartily urge your favorable action on these measures measure Discreditable to Country It Is not only discreditable to us as a n P people JP that K there Is now no recognized reco and authoritative source of Information upon UJ n these subjects relating to child lire life but In the absence of such information as should be supplied by the federal govern ment many abuses have gone one unchecked for public sentiment with its great cor cot power can only be aroused hy full fuU knowledge of the facts In addition to such information as the census bureau and other existing g agencies of ot the federal government already aln ady provide there re mains much to b be ascertained through lines Unes of ot research not now authorized bY hy law aw and there should be correlation and Dissemination or of the knowledge obtained without any an duplication of effort or 01 In with what hat Is already beta bein done There are few things more inore more vital Ual to the welfare of the nation than accurate and dependable knowledge of ot the best methods of dealing with children espe with those thole who are Bre In one way or another handicapped by b misfortune and in the absence of such knowledge each community is left to work out its It own problem without being able to learn nail and nn profit by b the success or failure of other communities along Ion the same lines of en denver deaver The bills for the establishment of the childrens bureau are advocated not only by this but by a large Jorge number of national organizations that are disinterestedly working for tor the welfare of children and also by philanthropic and religious bodies In all parts par cf vf the country I further urge that such legislation be enacted as may be necessary in order to bring the laws and practices In regard to the care of oC dependent children In all nil federal territory into harmony h with the th theother other conclusions reached by the eon con on ference ferenee Legislation for the District Congress took a step in the direction of i the conclusions of this conference in Is 3 when on the recommendation of the law lace Amos G U Warner Varner then superintendent f t for the District of Columbia the board of childrens guardians was created with authority among other things to place children in family homes That I board has tas made commendable progress i and iud Us Its work should hould be strengthened and anil extended I recommend legislation for the District of Columbia in accordance with the fifth t sixth seventh and eighth sections of the tho th conclusions of ot the conference confer nce as follows 1 That the approval of the board of i charities be required for the incorporation tion of aring agencies 1 encle as well as amendments of ot the charter of any an beneo benevolent 1 lent corporation which includes Ing work and that other othor than duly dul In Incorporated incorporated corpora ted agencies be forbidden to en engage gage ale in tho tue care of needy children This ThiH legislation is needed in order to insure the fitness and amI responsibility r of thosa tho who propose to undertake the care of helpless children Such laws have long been In satisfactory operation in several of the larger states of the Union That the board of charities Its authorized agents shall inspect the tho work vork ff tf f all hl agencies which care for tor dependent children whether by b institutional Institutional or 01 by methods and whether supported by public or private funds The state has always s jealously guarded the interests of children chi dren whose parents have been ben able to leave them property by b requiting requiring r the appointment of or ofa ofa a 0 guardian under bond accountable di dl directly to the courts even en though there he be hei hea a competent surviving parent patent Surely the interests of the child who Is not only an orphan but penniless s ought to be no less sacred than those of the more fortunate orphan who Inherits property If the pro protection of the government Is necessary In Inthe Inthe inthe the one case it is even more necessary in inthe tho the other If we are to require that only Incorporated institutions shall be ba allowed allow to engage In this responsible work Or it Is necessary to provide for public Inspection lest led the state should become the unconscious unconscious I partner of those who either from fromI ignorance or 01 inefficiency are unsuited to todeal todeal todeal I deal with the tha problem i 3 That the education of children In or orphan orphan I phan asylums and other similar Institutions ions in the tha DistrIct Of nf Columbia be un under under under der the supervision of the board of ot education education education tion In fn n order that these children may ma majoy en enjoy enjoy joy educational advantages equal to those of the other Normal school life lite comes next to normal home life tIte in Chic tho b s process of nf securing the fullest develop development develoPment ment of the child 4 i That all agencies engaged in caring work in the District of oC Columbia be required by law to adopt adequate methods of oC investigation end and make per permanent manent records relative to children under their care and to exercise faithful per personal serial Ional supervision over ove their t until legally legall adopted or otherwise clearly be beyond bend beyond yond nd the need eed of or further supervision the forms torms and methods method of such investigation records and supervision to be b prescribed rd enforced by the hoard board of oC charities I deem such legislation as us is ts herein rue rec recommended not only important for the with wel welfare fare of the Children immediately con concerned concerned concerned but important as OB setting an tn ex example example example ample of ot a high standard of child protection protection tion by br the national government to the several states of the Union which should be able to look to the nation for leade leader leadership ship in Ia such matters m I herewith transmit s copy of the full text of the th proceedings THEODORE ROOSEVELT Tho The White House Feb 15 WO 1910 |