The Winslow mail., 1911-02-04

homes annually? Thou
sands of wives and children are desert
ed every year in the principal Ameri-
can cities. 1t is one of the most seri-
Gus sociological problems confronting
the country's workers in the cause OF
charities and correction and the metro
politan police authorities.
The deserting husband and father
has attained the dignity of a civic
problem. He is looming up so large
as an item of municipal expense that
special laws are being passed to pun
ish his offenses, special officers are
being appointed to track him down
and special courts are being estab-
lished to try his case.
In New York city alone an average
of 40 desertions day are brought to
the attention of the city officials. The
number of cases in which the deserted
families are cared for by relatives or
charitable societies is beyond reckon
ing. Cincinnati is said to lead western
cities in the number of desertions, but
Chicago, ST. Louis, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, cities large and cities small, cities
north and cities south, have finally
discovered that the deserted family
must have the aid not of church and
charity workers but of the law.
New York city deals with this prob
lem in what is known as the domestic
relations court. whose blunt slogan is
bring 'em together" and the num-
ber of divorces prevented in the dingy
court room is known only to the re-
cording angel.
''The general cussedness of the men,
the incompetency of the women, the
other man or woman coming be-
tween husband and wife"-in this
order do the causes of desertion run,
according to officials of the court.
Only the husband vows it's all due to
the increased cost of living.
"The high cost of living?" echoes
the magistrate thoughtfully, ii re
sponse to a question. 81 don't know
Il don't know! OF course money Is
what we're after for these deserted
wives and children, but there are
other problems to solve here. The
husband may start out in married life
meaning we'll, but he marries a girl
who knows nothing about homemak-
ing, and that is the first cause of their
quarrels. Or she wants more clothes
than he can buy for her-and good
times. These moving picture houses
have a curious fascination for mar
ried women They admit sitting in
moving picture house hour after
hour when they ought to be getting
meals for their families The moving
picture show has taken the place of
the cheap novel with this class of
women.
And then the girl who has earned
her own living often has trouble with
her husband. She is used to spending
her money as she likes, and she wants
to spend his the same way. Often he
does not earn double what she did,
and she misses her income. A man
ought to consider the earning capacity
of a woman before he marries her
The very fact that she has earned so
much before marriage may make for
their unhappiness. Or she may return
live on his wages. Women of this
class are no longer economically de-
pendent upon men.
I'm both of these cases there is
hope of reconciliation. But when an
other woman has come between hus-
band and wife We don't try to bring
the couple together. Then it's simply
a case of forcing the man to support
his family. whether he will live with
them or not"
William Desmond. for a score of
years chief of the st. Louis detective
bureau, while in official position had
constant occasion to study this prob
lem seriously. In answer to a gen.
eral inquiry of the subject, Mr. Des-
mond declared that most husbands
ran away because of inability to
keep up with the procession" in the