ABSTRACT
World War I offered Lathrop the best opportunity to highlight the importance of maternal and child health care. When President Wilson provided money to undertake the Children's Year activities, he asked that the organizers come up with "certain irreducible standards for the health, education and work of the American child." With new federal funds Lath- rop increased the circulation of the pamphlets on infant and maternity care. Lathrop herself insisted that the funds be available to help mothers and children regardless of social background; she did not want Americans to view the Maternity and Infancy Act as charity. The Maternal and Infancy Act passed in November 1921 and was Lathrop's crowning achievement as bureau chief. To ensure the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Act, Lathrop used all the political skills in mobilizing, publicizing, and compromising she had honed over a career spanning almost three decades.
