Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-09-11
Sociology and the Baby.


case, of strange results. We once
asked an oldfsshioned and cynical pro-
lessor for an exact definition Of ''soci-
ology." He made this horrible reply:
"Pansciolistics. 1t seems to be a
fascinating branch of knowledge or
ignorance, and 10 easy to follow. You
are studying it when you go "slum-
ming" Any "nighthawk" cabman or
all-night restaurant is psychological
MATERIAL" and we haye even heard
such a seemingly simple matter as
"taking drink" called a "study In
sociology" The number of professed
sociologists is large. They all mean
well; and the chief complaint against
them is that they are inquisitive, and
seldom reluctant to poke their noses
into other folks business. Here ends
the prolegomenon. In a minute you
will see how Sociology carried off the
Baby.
Iowa has some exceptionally wise
sociologists. Iowa legislators have
wide-open minds. The sages asked
the Legislature for 4 law whereby the
children OF "incompetent, immoral or
dissolute" parents could be taken from
them by the Associated Charities.
The Legislature passed such law, by
request. Note here the simple beauty
and accommodating character of the
word 'incompetent." Well, Mrs.
Kellar Of Keokuk had baby eleven
months old. The mother was accused
OF being ''incompetent," and the child
was taken away from her and put un-
der the protecting care OF two presum-
ably "competent" "clubwomen." The
mother proved her competence, to the
satisfaction Of court, which directed
that baby should be given back to her.
Meanwhile, baby had been sent to a
hospital. The competent clubwomen
couldn't supply it with the alimen,
proper to its age. Yearning for milk
and getting sociology, the poor thing
became very i'll. The doctors told the
mother that it was dying. She tried
to 60 to it. The competent secretary
of the Associated Charities said no.
Evidently it was better for child tc
die than to be contaminated by the
caresses of an incompetent mother,
full OF love but empty OF the indispens
able science. To be sure, court had
ordered the child to be surrendered
but there are other courts, and not
lightly is sociology to be swerved from
its beneficent course. The secretary
said that by means of appeals from
court to court, the Associated Chari
ties meant to keep the child from iti
incompetent mother fors two years
OF course, If 1T died the matter woulG
be settled forever. The faithful sec
retary was committed to Jail for con
tempt, but got out on bond. How wat
baby to be got outP
J Some OF the Keokukers, lawless per
sons with no veneration for sociology
proposed to break into the hospital
A more peaceful and very curious pro
ceeding was taken by advice of law
yer. A friend OF the mothers wen
before Judge and charged baby with
being vagrant. The Shorthand We
are afraid that he was glad to obey the
writ-brought baby into court from iti
cot In the hospital. At once the in
competent mother was made specia
constable and lugged off baby; and the
sociologists are still looking for tina
vagrant. And they are proceeding
against the judge, the incompeten
mother and her counsel for conspiracy
If they can find the child they can take
it and keep 1t for at least two years by
a course of appeals. As Judge Hughe
says, they can take any child from it
mother; and even If her competency il
shown, they can keep the child from
her for. two years. Probably tn
judges begin to tremble for their owl
children. Sociology is a dread an,
powerful science. Iowa has so arme
it with law that you may have to stea
your own children.
Judges Hughes and many othe
Iowans are boiling against the thinker
who got this child-snatching la,
passed. But these people are wis
and honorable, and not carried ava
by their affections. The love Of
mother for child is an ordinar
thing, whereas sociology is an extra
ordinary science. What may not tn
: world become when all babies ar
/ brought up by sociologlcally compe
tent mothersP Will parents be 30 in
judicious as to prefer baby to soc
oloryp Mo,u Vn~L Co,,,