The Progress of Uniform Legislation The Uniform Divorce Act Beyond an occasional outcropping of the proposition to amend the federal Constitution so as to take away the states' jurisdiction, there seems to have been no change of public sentiment on this subject. Commissioners are recmended to have the act introduced in their respective states where legisla tive sessions are to be held during the coming year, and where objection to other portions of the act cannot be overcome, it is believed that insistence on the jurisdictional provisions will secure support at least for them. Matters of procedure as well as causes may remain as they now are without affecting the status of citizens of other states, the evil of their faults being confined to residents; but the lack of uniformity as regards jurisdictional laws is so farreaching that no effort should be re laxed to obtain uniformity in them. PROPOSED NEW ACTS
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I recommend that the Committee on Purity of Articles of Commerce be in structed to take this matter into con sideration, bearing in mind Congres sional legislation on the subject, and to report whether it is desirable for this Conference to consider the subject of a uniform cold storage law, with au thority to submit the draft of an act. Vital Statistics My attention has been- called again to the resolution of Congress approved February 11, 1905,26 expressing approval of the movement of the American Pub lic Health Association and the United States Census Office in an effort to ex tend the benefits of registration and to promote its efficiency by indicating the essential requirements of legislative en actments designed to secure the proper registration of all deaths and births and the collection of accurate vital statistics in non-registration states, with the sug gestion that such legislation be adopted. A model act, patterned in the main after the Pennsylvania law, has been drafted and is in actual operation in that state and in Ohio, Missouri and Kentucky. It would seem well for the Committee on Vital Statistics to examine this law and, if approved by the Commission it may be added to those recommended by this Conference.
Cold Storage The National League of Commission Merchants have approved the findings of the Massachusetts State Commission appointed to investigate the cold storage conditions in that state as "reasonable in construction, sensible in conclusion and free of drastic provisions." The bill proposed by this Commission has been recommended as a suitable basis Boiler Inspection for enactment in the various states, to At a meeting held in New Orleans the end that cold storage laws may during the month of March, the Ameri become uniform. The bill provides for can Boiler Makers' Association ap the supervision of all public cold storage pointed a special committee on the sub warehouse and refrigerating plants by ject of a Uniform Boiler Inspection the State Board of Health, and compels Law. It was stated that at present the operators of such warehouses to there are but five states having laws maintain complete records as to the governing boiler specifications and in dates of receipts and withdrawal of spections, Massachusetts leading. produce lodged therein.14 14 From Commissioner W. O. Hart.
"The American Medical Ass'n Bulletin. Chicago. M ay 15. 1912.
