Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-21

/ Of the cases on record she has been
! discovered to be a "nagger," a COM
! palmer, either sullen or quick tenn
pered, untidy and of falling strength.
How these two types of men and
women are to be eliminated the experts
do not venture to say. But they agree
that legislation Is not going to mimi
mize desertion to any extent. It Is a
question. more than all else, of building
up moral stamina and getting a man to
assume responsibility.
out Of the 574 cases the investigators
were only able to effect six reconcilia-
tlons. They were partially successful
in nine more. In 1888 cases there was
no possibility of rejonIng husband and
wife. This is the record Lillian Brandt
has brought together
Reasons for not attempting reconcile
alton; In 307 cases, because the man
could not be found and there was no
idea as to where he might be.
In 122 cases, because the family was
considered. much better off without the
man.
In two cases, because the man was
considered better off without the fam-
lily.
In fourteen cases, because there was
mo opportunity"
Thus it appears that in by far the
larger number of cases 1t is either i'm
possible to get the man back, or else
he is not worth getting back.
In 245 of the 574 cases it was figured
out that the explanation of desertion
was chiefly the mans fault. In forty
six of the cases 1t was APPARENTLY the
woman's fault. In fifty-two 1t was
equally the fault of both. Reduced to
statistics, the main fault of the men
was laXity of ideals in regard to rela-
tons with women, and laziness or
shiftlessness. Intemperance came only
third upon the list The chief trouble
with the women was intemperance,
sloVenliness, neglect of home and chill
dren and a "trying" disposition. When
the couple were both equally at fault
the chief points were incompatibility Of
temper and immortality on both sides.
An interesting phase is what becomes
of the men who are deserters. BY far
the largest percentage disappear from
the face of the earth. There is no need
of their changing their names, they are
not of enough Importance for that. In
almost any of the large cities the ordi-
nary nine to fifteen dollar a week man
might quite safely leave his family and
move to another part of the town. with
ordinary care in keeping away from his
old associations the chances are he
never would be discovered.
But probably very few of these de-
sertert actually do stay in the same
city. 1t is little safer elsewhere They
wander off few hundred miles. and
the probability is that they take up
with new ties, the inducements being a |
fresh feminine face and no babies or
to bother. Thirty-five of |
the 574 did come back to their families, |
several of them having been away for
close to five years. OF course, in the |
natural order of affairs, several of these
were Immediately taken back into their
households by wives who forgave |
everything. One or two. however, real
ly reformed, got work and became
bread winners.
occasionally" Lillian Brandt says, |
"a homeless man asking for help in !
New York admits that he has a wife |
and children in some other place. If |
the truth could be known about the
floating population in any city it would
be found that many of the apparently |
men who fill the free odg- |
ings and make up the bread line" are
really deserting husbands. who create
double problem by leaving their fam |
lilies dependent at home and casting |
themselves on charity in some other
place.
There is another phase of family de-
sertion, though quite beyond the reach |
anu lile province VI lne SIdIlSllcS OIL
the philanthropic organizations. These |
societies can easily keep track of the
SO to SIS a week man and his wife and |
family, because in the very large pro-
portion of cases these desertions mean
the necessary aid and not infrequently
the police court. But in families of
higher strata desertion goes on and
does not become matter of public rec
ord-at least not in the police courts.
Statistics are utterly lacking, but 1t
seems apparent that among the people
Of high social grade and large income
here is a percentage of deserton that
will equal or exceed the 50 to SIS
week class. Investigation probably
would show that there We're large
number of wives deserting husbands
among these, cases of women living in
apartment hotels, with all the money