Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-05-19
WHY Husbands
Desert Their Wives
NJ rRNEsr psbIcKNELL. superintenden bureau OF Charities. chieaao

49, a discussion of the subject of desertion it is but lar to say
ia that the disappearance of the husband sometimes is a cause
M of little sorrow to his family. 1t probably is true that IN 2
- majority of cases the husband has been but q poor and rregz
I'M ~ uar proyider prior to his departure. In uchinshnces the
wife aIreadyis acctstonedto bearing THE LARGER SHAKE OE
THE BURDEN OF SUPPORT, and older children know the
meaning of contributing to the common fund. Where such condNlons
exist it is sometimes true that the family affairs IMPROVE after the
MAN has gone. In one instance which came to the attention Of a char
liable society about a year ago a Woodworking wife said to her nus
band one morning: "Your story that you can't find work doesn't de-
ceive me any longer. Now, you get out and,look for work and don't
come back until you find it" The man went, out, and when he came
back six months later had not yet found work.
Without doubt the INTERMITTENT DEsERTER is one of
the most perplexing and troublesome. About the time the family has
adjusted itself to the conditions caused by his absence he returns and
throws all plans into confusion. The charitable society which has
helped the family to a point when it can see self support and normal
life ahead finds its programme destroyed and MUCH OF lis
WORK NULLIFIED. Then when the famlys affairs again are IN
desperate plight the husband once more takes his departure, the charl-
table agency is compelled to come in, and the whole discouraglng, dis
astrous round is repeated. 1t is easy to say that the wife should re-
fuse to receive the husband on the occasions Of his periodical return.
It also is easy to say that the family should be permitted to suffer un-
less the wife will agree to refuse to have anything more to do with the
husband. Many ethical questions crowd forward for discussion at this
point, but there is not time or place for them. 1t must suffice to say
that CONDITIONS, NOT THEORIES" meet the charitable
agency in this field of labor.
According to law, a deserving husband who has fled to another
state may be arrested and returned home for trial on an extradition
process in which the governors Of two states must join. The expense
is always considerable and may reach several hundred dollars. Off
GERS of the law who have the power to enforce and conduct extradition
proceedings have grown so accustomed to seeing ther eHorS nnaHy
thwarted BY THE WIFEs FAILURE TO PROSECUTE after
the husband has been brought back that they now usually refuse to
undertake the return of a DESERVING husband unless the expenses are
borne by the family or friends. The result of this attitude is that ex-
tradition is extremely rare, and a deserving husband who leaves the
Estate ordinarily is FREE.
Certain European countries have laws against deserton which APP
pear to be worthy of trial in the United States. Under their operation
a DESERVING husband, on conviction, is sentenced to prison AT HARD
LABOR The state or municipality allows a daily wagefor his woEk,
but instead of paying it to him pays it TO HIS FAMILY. It is
said that when a man once finds that he cannot escape the support of
his family he prefers to labor outside rather than inside the prison
walls.
TO INSURE EFFECTIVENESS SUCH A LAW WOULD REQUIRE TO
BE SUPPLEMENTED BY ANOTHER WHICH WOULD PERMIT OF PROS
EcuTIoN WITHOUT THE WiFE's PARTICIPATION.