STATEMENT BY WILLIAM GREEN, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR, IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 1318 The American Federation of Labor has been deeply concerned in developing national health provisions for the people of the United States. In 1943 we sponsored a bill to provide an adequate social insurance system including health insurance and we have endorsed the National Health Act (S. 1606) which would provide an adequate national health program built around the principle of contributory health insurance. This measure would provide medical care for insured workers and their dependents and includes special provisions for maternal and child care. Based on the principle of contributory social insurance— a principle which the American Federation of Labor has consistently supported— this b.ll would assure medical care as a right paid for by the covered workers rather than making such care available on a charity basis. The American Federation of Labor endorsed the wartime legislation under which the Children's Bureau in the United States Department of Labor administered the program of medical care for wives and infants of men in the armed forces. Prior to that we assisted in planning and securing legislative approval of the child services administered by the Children's Bureau under the Social Security Act. The federation realizes that there are special aspects relating to the health of mothers and children that give the Nation a special responsibility for making adequate medical care available to them. We.support every effort to develop a program that will meet these objectives. On April 16, 1948, I presented to the Committee on Education and Labor of the Senate the position of the American Federation of Labor with respect to the National Health Act (S. 1603). In that statement I emphasized the interest of the federation in part B of title I of this bill which provides for increased grants to States for maternal and child health services, and said, "We feel that it is entirely appropriate that there be a special part for such a program as we recognize that society has a special responsibility to make real the right of all children to good health." The principle which I then expressed is applicable to S. 1318 provided that such a program is wisely developed as a part of a comprehensive national health program. That such comprehensive planning is contemplated is indicated by the amendments to the House version of this bill (H. R. 3922) offered by Senator Pepper in his testimony before the subcommittee of the House Committee on Labor on May 28 reading as follows: "SEC. 2. The Congress finds, and experience has shown, especially during the war, that there is need for expansion of maternal and child-health and welfare services through aid to the States, and declares that immediate action by the Congress is required to meet these needs. "It is further declared to be the policy of the Congress that the special services for the health of children and their mothers during maternity herein provided for should form a part of any national health program to be authorized by the Congress and should be coordinated with and fitted into any such program." I therefore urge on behalf of the American Federation of Labor the adoption of Senate bill 1318 as a part of a national health program based on the principle of contributory social insurance. EXHIBIT 49 NATIONAL WOMEN'S TRADE UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA, The Honorable CLAUDE PEPPER, Washington 1, D. C., June 24, 1946. United States Senate, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: Our statement in support of the maternal and child welfare act, S. 1318, addressed to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Labor, is attached. May I ask you to please include it in the record of the hearings on this bill. Sincerely yours, ELISABETH CHRISTMAN, Secretary-Treasurer. NATIONAL WOMEN'S TRADE UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA, The Honorable JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education and Labor, United States Congress, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: The National Women's Trade Union League wishes to go on record in support of S. 1318, which provides for the health and welfare of mothers and children and for services to crippled children. First of all, may we point out that the league is for a national health program with, as nearly as possible, an over-all coverage, and we testified to this effect at the hearings on S. 1006. However, we recognize the prime importance of better health and medical services for maternal and child care and for crippled children and are, therefore, in favor of the principles and objectives of S. 1318. Services to mothers and children are not included in the contributory insurance system in S. 16C6, and so there is need for additional provisions for FederalState services for those not covered by the insurance system. We feel keenly that society has a responsibility to make possible adequate health services for all children, and we have absolute faith in the integrity of the Children's Bureau and those persons who administer and promote the program for the welfare of mothers and children. We cannot forget that the Children's Bureau blazed a trail by awakening the public conscience to the unnecessary and cruel loss of life each year because of inadequate maternal and infant health services. However, the league would want the provisions of S. 1318, if enacted, to fit in closely with any over-all health program. It would be not only inefficient administratively, but also very confusing to the workers, to have to go to three or four different Government agencies for health services for their families. Sincerely yours, EXHIBIT 50 ELISABETH CHRISTMAN, Secretary-Treasurer. INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, HONORABLE SIR: On behalf of the delegates of the Convention of the International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, CIO, convened in Atlantic City, N. J., March 23-30, 1946, we submit to you the attached resolutions adopted by the convention expressing the policy of our organization on child care and child labor. We solicit your full support and cooperation to the promotion of the proper legislation advancing the principles contained in these resolutions herewith attached. Yours sincerely, GEORGE F. ADDES, International Secretary-Treasurer (By order of the International Convention, UAW-CIO). CHILD CARE Whereas the UAW-CIO has long been concerned with and contributed to the improvement of community services and facilities for the care and development of children; and Whereas many States and communities are unable to provide adequate services and facilities for children and must have the assistance of the Federal Government if such services and facilities are to be widely available; and Whereas, with the termination of the Lanham Act, aid to the day care of children and the inadequate provision of child welfare services now made under the Social Security Act, the Federal Government is not now doing its share in protecting and promoting well-being of our children: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, (1) That this Tenth Convention of UAW-CIO support any Federal legislation, such as the Pepper bill (S. 1318), that will put necessary welfare services within reach of all chilrden who need them, including day care for children of working mothers, recreational and other services that will cut down on juvenile delinquency, and care for dependent and neglected children. (2) That we work to make nursery schools a permanent part of our school structure, free to all parents in the community wishing to avail themselves of the opportunity. Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER, EXHIBIT 51 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR NURSERY EDUCATION, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: I am writing to request you to inform the Senate Committee on Education and Labor of the support of the National Association for Nursery Education for S. 1318, known as the Maternal and Child Welfare Act of 1945. The National Association for Nursery Education is the organization of the professional workers in many fields-education, medicine, nursing, nutrition, welfare, etc.-who are concerned with the education and well-being of young children. The wartime experience with the draft dramatized to the lay public the crippling losses in manpower which occur because of inadequate care-both physical and mental-for children during their early formative years. Those of us who have made the study of young children our life's work have known of the crucial importance of these years long before the war. We have known from daily experience that much waste of human capacity-to say nothing of loss of life-can be prevented if funds are made available so that there can be more adequate services to expectant mothers, to mothers of young children, and to children themselves. Our daily experience has taught each one of us that this is a job which States cannot do unaided. Our organization is on record as strongly favoring Federal aid for the development and continuance of sound programs of maternal and child health and aid to dependent children through regularly established Federal and State agencies. (We are glad to see S. 1318 include under "health" both physical and mental well-being.) We are on record as strongly favoring the appropriation of Federal funds to assist in meeting the needs of the children of working mothers. We are also on record as approving the wisdom of the method of grants-in-aid to States as a general working method. S. 1318 offers a tremendously important aid in a direction which our professional experience indicates is one of our country's greatest needs. The money to be appropriated under the bill is money for prevention; unless it is spent far greater sums inevitably are spent in the repair of human beings and still more money lost because those human beings are prevented needlessly from contributing all that they could to the general welfare. S. 1318 is a conservation bill, in our opinion, saving for our country its most important asset-its children, its future men and women. I will be grateful if you can find an opportunity so that the members of the Senate committee may know of our hope that they will speedily give their full approval to this already overdue and vital legislation. Sincerely, Senator CLAUDE PEPPER: JAMES L. HYMES, Jr., President. EXHIBIT 52 CHICAGO, ILL., June 24, 1946. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. Respectfully urge that your committee act favorably on S. 1318. Health and welfare services for dependent and neglected children must be strengthened. BENTON HOUSE SETTLEMENT STAFF. EXHIBIT 53 Senator CLAUDE PEPPER: Senate, Washington, D. C. BETHLEHEM CRECHE AND SETTLEMENT, Hon. SENATOR PEPPER: We respectfully urge that your committee act favorably on the Senate bill, S. 1318. The health and welfare services for our dependent and neglected children must be strengthened and your bill is far-reaching in its effect. Sincerely yours, RUTH B. (Mrs. W. E.) HUNTER, Director. EXHIBIT 54 CHICAGO, ILL., June 24, 1946. Senator CLAUDE PEPPER: Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Respectfully urge that your committee act favorably on bill S. 1318, health and welfare services for dependent children must be strengthened. Your bill far-reaching in its effect. ABIGAIL WRIGHT, Head Resident, Garibaldi Institute. EXHIBIT 55 CHICAGO, ILL., June 24, 1946. Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: Please do utmost secure passage S. 1318 extending maternal and child care. VIRGIL E. LOWDER, Secretary, Department of Social Service, Church Federation of Greater Chicago. Senator CLAUDE PEPPER, EXHIBIT 56 CHICAGO, ILL., June 24, 1946. United States Senate Building, Washington, D. C.: I consider S. 1318 indispensable to welfare of children of the United States and urge early and favorable report and passage. JACOB KEPECS, Executive Director, Jewish Children's Bureau of Chicago. EXHIBIT 57 The Honorable CLAUDE PEPPER: CHICAGO, ILL., June 25, 1946. Respectfully urge S. 1318 be approved by your committee and favorably reported to the House. The enactment of this much-needed legislation would be of untold benefit to the children if this country. This is particularly important now when the future of our Nation lies so clearly in the hands of the oncoming generation. M. K. REIKORD, General Director, Illinois Childrens' Home and Society. Senate Office Building, Washington 25, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR PEPPER: Thank you for your introduction of S. 1318 to extend Lanham funds for day-care centers. I have written to Senator Burton and to Congressmen Bolton, Crosser, and Feighan on behalf of the Northeast Day Care Advisory Committee, a local committee which contributes to a nearby day-care center, asking their support and interest in the Pepper bill. I think you will find these members of Senate and House aware of the active interests of their Cleveland constituents in the continuation of day-care centers. In my daily work as an industrial personnel supervisor I have become acquainted with the fine contribution the day-care centers are making. Both wives of men in service and widows and divorcees need the help of adequate child-care plans. In this particular area of Cleveland, we will always have working mothers, even after demobilization is complete, because of industrial lay-offs and handicapping accidents, so our local committee is planning in the interim while we still have Federal funds to go on to secure local underwriting for a long-term plan of day care. I hope it may be encouraging to you to find this type of local interest and appreciation for the help Federal funds have been. Very truly yours, EXHIBIT 60 MARY M. AIKIN, Supervisor of Women. Hon. CLAUDE PEPPER, SALISBURY, N. C., June 22, 1946. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Absence from 'my office prevents submitting detailed statement but request that following be filed for record of Senate Committee on Education and Labor is testimony at its hearing on Maternal and Child Welfare Act of 1945: "The need for maternal and child welfare legislation has increased during the 11 months since the introduction of this bill. There are more children in the United States than ever before. The birth rate remains high and the problems confronting families with children have become more acute due to the housing crisis and the increased cost of living. We who provide care for the children of others be it in foster homes, institutions, or day-care centers hold evidence of these needs and are keenly aware of increases in the demands for child care outside the home. Part of this evidence will be found in the thousands of children to be seen in jails or jail-like detention facilities some being there only because they have suffered neglect and there is no other place for them. The need is desperate for the several social services including day care, foster care, and better dental service which will be more adequately provided under the provisions of title 3 of this act while we are especially aware of the demand for child welfare services. We can testify also to the acute need for the maternal and child-health services covered by title I and services for crippled children covered by titile II of this act." HOWARD W. HOPKIRK, Executive Director, Child Welfare League of America. |