Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-09
sneclnl Cornesnondence.

| Special Correspondence
| - ARTS. April 3O-The French have
~ a girdle of protective tariffs all
round their frontiers. You must
smoke state-made tobacco and
strike state-made matches. Everything
that is of foreign manufacture is rigid
ly excluded or made to pay prohibi-
tive duty-everything with one excep-
tion-babiesl Little as the reader may
have suspected it, Paris Is the dump
ing ground for abandoned foreign ba-
bies, six to seven hundred of whom
are annually conflded to its kindly care.
This astonishing fact has only lately
been revealed to the man in the street
by the sensational abandonment in a
Paris hotel of two babies by an Eng
lishwomau who apparently came over
from Folkestone fol that purpose. AS
no one claimed them, the poor little
waits We're taken to the Hospfce des
Enfants Assistes. or Founding hospital.
and It was thus that I learned from
the director, NJ May, all about this in
teresting institution, which is almost
unique in the world. for Russia IS the
only country with a similar charitable
organization, modelled ON the French
one. it is true, but far inferior in point
of development.
OFFICIALLY ABANDONED.
Yes, foreigners may come, dump their
children down in Paris and return
whence they came free OF all anxiety
as to their fate. free of all responsibility
as to their future. No awkward dues-
lions are asked, or If they are asked
they need not be answered. There is
only one condition; the child must be
officially abandoned and not be candc-
stinely deserted, for that Is an offense
punishable by law And thus It comes
about that among the six or seven hun
dren alien babies which pass annually
through the portals of the Hospice des
Eufants Assistes, almost every nation
under the sun Is at some time or other
represented. the Turk not excepted.
RUSSIANS AND POLES
The vast majority consists, however.
OF the offspring of Russians and Poles.
stranded on their way to England and
the new world. These people are fully
aware OF the existence of the hospice
and they do not hesitate to dump their
cumbersome progeny on the hospitabe
soil Of France IN The certain knowledge
that they win be cared for. Russian
and Polish aliens located in London
even cross the channel for this pur-
pose and 1t Is no uncommon occurrence
for woman about to become mother
TO come over and be confined I'm n Paris
hospital, declare that she intends TO
abandon her child, and straightwey re-
turn to London.
FOUNDED ABOUT 1885
The vast organization called the AS
sistancc Publique. with its annual bud
get Of ileO0OOOo ana of which the Hos
pice des Enfants Asslstes is part was
created shortly after the year 1898 \
founding hospital, of course, existed
previously, but he huspiCo in lts pros-
vnt form rs a creation OF The men who
made the great revolution. II rs based
upon the broad and humane principle
that II rs better for the state openly 10
take over aud rear the offspring Of des-
ttute citizens rather than expose "A
child 60 The cruel risk OF desorton by
stealth. Parents, therefore arc al +,
liberty 10 renounC1 their children IN
the most mattgr-of-fact way on tho
simple declaration that they wish To
do TO- The time-honored practise or
other countries OF laying nm infant on |
the steps OF the founding hospital, |
ringing tho bell and hastily rotroatlng |
under cover Of night, e dispensed with |
FORMAL ABANDONMENT
a mother walks through the open
doorway into tho office. 81 wish TO !
abandon tn8 child" ahu says 10 the Of |
ncial II ~ Tho duty OF tho latter to
point Out 10 the mother the gravity of |
th1 step he rs takIns ard remmd her
lhal u abandoning her child ahc re-
uuuncos an claim upon II aud VIII re-
main bon absolute ignorance az 20 IT'S |
future career she ~ urged not 10 take !
such a step unless absolutely compelled |
An This is purely a matter OF forri ar |
II rs extremely rare that such friendly |
counsel Induces "a change VI purpose. |
The person 10 not bound 10 make amy |
declaration az an as 10 the Infants !