The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20
DISASTER DRIVES
MEN To DRINK
President of Society for
Prevention of Cruelty to
Children Recites Facts
MORE HELP REQUIRED

The annual meeting of the California
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children was held yesterday and Of
hcers and directors for the new year
were elected as follows:
E. w. NewhaIl. president; John F.
Merrill, active vice president; George
A. Newhall. treasurer; NJ. J. White. sec
retary; Mrs. 4. n. White. assistant
secretary; counsel. c. II. Garoutte; at
torneys-T. J. Crowley Purcell Rowe
and Edgar F. Zook; physicians-Dr-
Rufus l. Rigdon and DIR. William w.
Weymore; directors-E- w. Newhall'
George A Newhall. T. II. Palache,
Henry L. Davis. c. NJ. Volkman. George
A. Pope, william Haas. John f. Mer-
rill. Iippnan Sachs, Fairfax II. Whee-
Ian. Louis F. Monteagle; honorary vice
presidents-Jshn Bermin CHAM. w B.
Bourne A W. Foster. William Haas,
James B. Haggin, William J. Dutton,
Charles Holbrook. Homer S. King, An
drew b. McCreery, John F. Merrill, ID.
O. Mills. George c. Perkins, James ID.
Phelan, Joseph Brandenstein. l. II.
Sweeney. John D. Thompson. F. w.
Van Sicklen. Raphael WE'LL and Will
liam whittier
Secretary White submitted a report
OF cases handled in 1906. He further
reported that the combined sentences of
those convicted OF cruelty TO children
was three years four months twenty
one days. The aggregate last year was
much less than in previous years, be-
cause OF the efforts Of the society to
have those convicted Of crime against
children released on probation, their
sentences being suspended during good
behavior. In this way the families OF
the culprits were not deprived OF sup
port or made objects OF charity while
the heads thereof were serving terms
in prison.
CAUSES OF COMPLAINT
The secretary also presented q report
of the causes of complaints. compiled
since June /. the previous records on
this subject having been destroyed In
the IRE OF April Is An item Of inter
est is that there were more drunken
mothers than fathers. The latter. how
ever, proved remiss In failing to pro-
vide for their families. the number OF
complaints involving 1S2. Desertions
by fathers were more numerous than
those by mothers. In the infiction of
cruelty by neglect and otherwise the
complaints were about even On the
line Of morality, or rather immortality, II
was shown that there were more i'm
moral mothers than fathers. Com
plants received involved 25s refugees.
President E. W. Newhall presented a
report. in which he deplored the loss
OF the old records of the society in the
fire OF April IS. Those records in
volved $4,000 cases since the organiza-
ton Of the society in 1875. The re-
habilitation OF the Office is an arduous
task and. while hundreds of cases al
ready have been re-recorded. the loss OF
the records mentioned is irreparable.
One serious handicap is the loss of the
addresses OF the members of the So
ciety. Newhall requests that all mem
bers send their new addresses to the
office at 2410 Mission street.
PARENTS DRIVEN TO DRINK
President NewhaIl further stated that
the catastrophe Of last spring had in
creased the work OF the society 33 Is
per cent The catastrophe seemed TO
unstring the nerves Of the people and
after the opening of the saloons in July
many OF the sufferers threw them
selves into all kinds of excesses.
Parents who had been supposed
to be model citizens lost self-controL
deserted their families, took TO drink
and indulged in immoralities.
The absence OF permanent homes and
the uncertain conditions make the work
OF surveillance over homes Of de-
linquent adults particularly difficult.
The suffering in the camps has been
distressing. particularly among the lit
tie ones. AS the winter progresses the
number of cases increases and condi-
tions appear 20 be growing worse.
President Newhall recommended that
additional officers and agents be en-
ployed. and to this the directors agreed.