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PROTECTION OF MATERNITY.
Miss Lathrop. Every effort is to preserve life. I would like to
add, if I may, that many physicians of the highest authority are in
favor of this measure, and that at previous hearings it was indorsed
by one of the most distinguished obstetricians in the United States,
probably, who was a witness before your committee.
Senator Warren. I would like to ask one or two technical ques
tions, if I may, something of the way that you would start in connec
tion with the State in the matter of the expenditure of money. How
would you go about the expenditures of the money throughout the
States f
Miss Lathrop. The hill provides that we are——
Senator Warren. I know what the bill provides, but just how
would you go about that ?
Miss Lathrop. If it were to go into operation to-morrow morning,
I would give it out that the medical personnel in the bureau would
have in its administration, and I would call upon the governor of
every State who desires to cooperate for the purpose of securing a
clear understanding of the methods of cooperation between the State
and the Federal Government in carrying out the act, and with the head
of the health department of the States, and the child hygiene division,
and try to learn what the conditions were in that State and what they
wanted.
Senator Warren. That would take a considerable time. Would
you do any of that through the mails before that i
Miss Lathrop. Yes. By correspondence with each State the
bureau would become acquainted with its plans for work under the
measure so as to ascertain that the work in the States is carried out
according to the provisions of the act.
Senator Warren. Would there be anything in the way of erecting
any establishments, or anything that would require a large expendi
ture of money, that would not be annually spent? What have you
in your mind about that ?
Miss Lathrop. In the first place, the bill forbids any Government
Senator Warren. I know, but I mean an establishment. I
know how the bill reads.
Miss Lathrop. Isn't it true that 5 per cent is by the bill author
ized for the administration of the provisions——
Senator Warren. Yes.
The Chairman. Yes; it is limited to 5 per cent.
Senator Phipps. For use in the States themselves. T he bill pro
vides so much, not to exceed 5 per cent, of the amount authorized
for any fiscal year under the act, as the Children’s Bureau may esti
mate to be necessary for administering the provisions of the act,
shall be deducted for that purpose to he available until expended.
I want to know where you are going to spend that, or if a fair con
struction of it would be to take it from each State and spend it in
the State.
Miss Lathrop. I understand that $50,000 is the amount that
we will have to have in order to continue our gathering and dis
tributing of information in these various States.
Senator Warren. What I want to get at is your understanding.
Miss Lathrop. That is my understanding.