16 
PROTECTION OF MATERNITY. 
We do not look upon it as tending toward socialism; we do not 
look upon it as subtle propaganda of any kind, but we do look 
upon it as a means of saving life, and we believe that the most im 
portant duty that women can have is the saving of human life. That 
substantially is our argument. We shall be very glad to ask others 
to come here before the committee. 
Senator Phipps. May I ask, Mrs. Park, what is your home city d 
Mrs. Park. Boston is my home city, but I live in Washington a 
great part of the time. 
Senator Phipps. May I ask what action has been taken by your 
State legislature along the general lines proposed by this bill ? 
Mrs. Park. A bill on this subject has been introduced into the 
present legislature. 
Senator Phipps. But up to date there has been no actual legisla 
tion, such as has been given to other bills 
Mrs. Park. No. Let me say in regard to the appropriation au 
thorized under this bill, that if the appropriation should be granted it 
would be about twenty-six one-thousandths of 1 per cent ofthe total 
Federal budget, if the appropriation sought by this bill should be 
authorized. 
The Chairman. And it would be much less than was voted on the 
Colombian treaty a few days ago ? 
Mrs. Park. Yes. 
STATEMENT OF JULIA C. LATHROP, CHIEF OF CHILDREN'S 
BUREAU, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. 
The Chairman. Possibly you will be able to give us the figures as 
to the loss of life. First, however, will you state your position 1 
Miss Lathrop. I am the Chief of the Children’s Bureau of the 
United States Department of Labor. The business of that bureau 
is to investigate and report on all questions of welfare of children 
and child life. That bureau was organized nine years ago. 
Let me say that the question of maternal mortality developed 
as a part of this question of infant mortality. We have gathered 
various figures which I will speak of later. I thought it might be 
more convincing if I brought to you the testimony of a Johns Hopkins 
statistician, who can not be charged with any sentimentality or any 
special interest in the matter. This came to my desk a few days ago, 
and it is entitled “ The real risk rate of death to mothers from causes 
connected with child birth,” and it is by William Travis Howard, jr., 
and is reprinted for the American Journal of Hygiene. 
The Chairman. You may submit that and have it printed in the 
record. . 
Miss Lathrop. Yes, sir; but may I call attention to one paragraph: 
As compared with Birmingham, England, and with Stockholm, Sweden, the 
material risk rates in child bearing is much higher in New York, Philadelphia, 
Baltimore, Boston, and Washington, D. C., and in the order named. 
Our total rate in the United States is more than double that for 
England and Wales calculated on live births alone, and this is due 
to the great excess in the United States’ rates for puerperal albu 
minuria and convulsions and septicemia, and accidents of pregnancy 
and labor.