The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-16
Workers
Want NOn-SuppOrt Law
Amended.
CONVENTION HELD TODAY
Proposition to Enact Washing.
ton, D. C., Law BY Which
Prisoners Are Required to
Work for Their Families
While in Custedy

A meeting was held at the Neighbour
hood House, 555 Market street, this
morning. under the auspices of the
New Jersey Association of Neighbour
hood Workers. to discuss the question
of the desertlon of wives by their hus-
bands and the failure of fathers to sup
port their children. 1t was expected
that Mayor F. F. Ryan, of Elizabeth;
B. F. Murphy. former chief of police Of
Jersey City, and A. N. Abbott. secre-
tary of the Children's Aid Society of
Orange, would make addresses on the
question, hui none of them was present.
Mr.. Abbott. 1t was announced, had
been called to a distant part of the
State.
In the absence of the president and
vice-president of the New Jersey Assoc
citation of Workers, Fred S. Hall, the
secretary. who is also head worker at
the Market street house, presided. and
read some interesting letters on the
subject of wife desertion and non-sup-
port, and the need of more stringent
laws to protect wives and children.
Mayor Ryan wrote that he was called
from Elizabeth. on an important mat
ter and he was sorry he could not be
at the meeting to discuss the import
ant topic, desertion. He added:
THE law of the State is very lax on
this question and ought to be amended, and
it can only be done by agitation in such
meetings as you are about to hold, and the
cooperation of all charitable organizations
throughout the State, and with this united
effort 1 am sure the Legislature could be
induced to form a law that will meet the
situation"
A. w. MeDougall, secretary Of the Bureau
of Associated Charities, wrote a long let
ter, in which he stated that New Jersey
already has a dissertation act' and a non
support law, the latter being part of the
| disorderly persons act. The desertion law
makes it a misdemeanor for a man to de-
sert his wife and children, and he can be
punished by imprisonment for two years.
Mr.. MCDOWELL stated that he could not
sec. after he explained the action to be
taken by a wife under the desertlon law
and the n~on-support law, that the trou-
BILE was In the lack of legislation, but in
the non-enforcement or the shiftless en-
forcement of the laws we have"
Mr.. McDougall said the matter of non
support was in charge of the oversee- of
the poor. He said he had suggested to
Judge Algernon t. Sweeney that a mees-
ing be held by the Public Prosecutor Of
the county, the Assistant City Attorney,
of Newark. the. probation officer, the over
seer of the poor, the two police judges, the
secretary of the Bureau of Associated
Charities. the secretary of the Neighbour
hood Settlement, the agent of the Catholic
Children's Aid Society, the agent for he
Joint committee of Children's Institutions,
and such a meeting might stir the public
on the question of wife desertion.
A long letter was read from William II.
Baldwin, of Washington, d. c., author or
the law for the District of Columbia, which
Congress made a statute in 1906. This law
provides that a man who deserts his wife
and refuses to support his family must
work for them in Jail, fifty cents for each
days hard 1nbor so performed being paid
to the wife for the support of the family
The State of Maine has a law of the
same kind. The idea is that the man
SHOULD not be idle In jail, but be forced TO
work for pay, the money to go to the
wives.
Former Judge Sweeney arrived near the
close OF the meeting and made an address,
in which he gave his experience as a judge
in the police court with men who desert
their wives and children, He told how
men are sent to jail and are idel there
and when they are released thy continue
the neglect of wife and children.
He said a law was needed that would
force such men who remain in Newark to
work and support their families.
The matrons of the three day nurseries
in the city-the East Side, the Fifth Ave-
nue. and Jewish -Sisterhood-said from one
half to two-thirds of the children in their
charge were children of men who deserted
their wives.