Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11

first, q large number typical cases of
wife desertion have been Investigated and
methods Of legal and Other treatment en-
pl0yed In the various states have been col
lated. In the latter braach Of this in-
quiry mainly e member Of the board OF
managers OF the washington Associated
Charities has recently expended many
weeks work and several hundred dollars,
voluntarily, as the 6ontriBntion Of his spe-
cial committee toward solution Of this
difficult problem. ON of these studies there
are emerging the lfolloRing conclusions.
which may properly mention here because
some OF them would seem to be applicable
in modified form to the treatment of Wife
heaters also. FirsV It srpuld be possible
for legal action against a. wife-deserter to
be inaugurated by a neighbor or an appro-
pirate organization. without waiting for
the tmid wife to begin proceedings. Sec
ond. the offense should be recognized as
extraditable. SO that the wife-deserter
cannot escape his responsibility by merely
going across the line into another state.
Third, the court should be empowered to
make flexible conditions with the Wife
deserter. to suspend sentence of imprison-
ment on condition that the man shall sup
port his family properly or pay his wife
every week specified portion of his earn
ings. In the frequent cases where dissipa-
ton consumes the weeks wages before
the wife's share Is paid, the court should be
employers whereby the wife's portion will
be given directly to her or to the humane
society or some appropriate organization
acting in the wife's behalf. Fourth. in the
numerous instances where the wife-deserter
has no financial resources, but does possess
earning power, the court should be en-
powered to require him to find and accept
employment. Failing this. he should be
committed to JAIL made to work there ana
his earnings paid. in some part at least. to
his dependent family. Such genuine work.
house treatment, with the prospect Of the
man dismissal on parole when ne is ready
TO rurnr do I
toward reforming wife-beaters as well as
wife deserters.
"Wife-desertion Is found to be mainly
due. like wife-beating, to lack of developed
moral standards in the offender and lack
of their definite acceptance and emphasis
by public opinion. A law with such provi-
sions as are suggested above would both de-
velop and make effectively applicable the
wholesome standards of conduct whose rec
ognition, by both the individual offender
and the general public, is the indispensable
basis for the reduction of either wife-deser-
tion or wife-beating. 1t Is all a moral prob
lem mainly, and corporal punishment ad-
ministered by public officials has not yet
been proven to be a constructive moral
force.
IF the specific remedies recommended for
the treatment of wife-desertion are consid-
cred inappropriate to the special problems
of wife-beatfng, my main contention Still!
remains. namely, that similar methods OF
approaching the problem. are what Is chief
ly needed here. If We are really in earnest
in this matter let the time and effort which
is now being eXpendedin mere argument be
diverted to an analysis of the facts. Let us
have a small committee appointed to really
study the problem of wife-beating In Wash
ington and elsewhere and to report to Con-
gress and the public the detailed fnforma-
ton without which such important legisla-
ton ought not to be undertaken"
Those men in public life, as well as many
business men in the community who have
fn rn
unanimous in their disapproval of the whip
ping post. They say: