The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-09-13
WHY MEN DESERT
THEIR FAMILIES
Result Of Interesting IT.
quiry.
Made by National Conference Of
Jewish Charities---Lack Of
Work Plays Part.

CRIMINAL by the courts, says the New
York Times. THIS fccHng was based
upon the brief that the desert r ran
away. not to get rid of MS family, but
10 find better m, ans Of caring Tor them.
ami that eventually lie wouid come
back prosperous, and there would he a
family reunion. "a feast, and great re-
joioing But the NATIONAL Conference
of jewish CHARITIES made an lnvcstiga-
ton of the mau!er and the report Of
the special committee destroyed the
SENSATIONAL conclusions thas had been
current
This report made lit plain that bh"
Jack of employment ppYed cny a sub
ordinate part in the deserr,ons. In the
large majority of cases the Il sertcr
evaded his moral and legal response
bilities because he preferred to pro-
vide for someone else; or because he
found the home atmosphJr re distasteful
In order to correct this condition it
was necessary to have the Jaw changed
SO that deserter would be gu.ry CT
faony and not a misdameanor. in
1905 such an amendmcnt to the law
was made. Child abandonment was
the cause. But even this advance in
the way of SOCIAL battcrmcnt did no
change the temper of the Courts. that
still som To think :ha. If a man
wanted to run away from his family
it was largely his own private bus.n -.
Then The Commitee on Dss 7riicn Of
he Javl-h Chari les resolved to ap-
poim- sp,c;a, commgntoe of five 20
consider the whole matter. to pr ',sare
uniform forms for investigate and
report, and 70 invite slsgg ions Cor
remedies. \ Des,rucn Bureau was os-
tabiisl9ed. Just what tbs bureau has
accomplished. the many diffl9uri,s thai.
bcset its path, and just how each was
overcome until the present wonderful
System was csuablisAed, is TOO iong a
glance at the results.
OF the large number of CASES. Of de-
sertions handled b. Seer etary GIoldstcin
of the bureau. the work IN TWO Gus Of
every three has been succe ssful in find
ing the runaway and Computing HIM
to contribute to the suppoHc of his
family or in furnishing him for his con-
duct. Among these cases ware several
involving Intricate legal features.
which required careful work by the
attorneys. Some of the r'unaways had
added TO their sin by securing fraiu-
lent divorces in distant citias. Neary
all of these DEGREES were sat a. tide. and
in other cases, where Divorce suits
were pand;ng, che bureau had them
dismissed.
The number of complaints received
by the bureau for ths yaar just closed
was only 80. as against III the year
before. 1t is believed that ahe oontinu-
ation of the work and the strict en-
forcament of the penal laws win re-
duce dssirion TO a minimum, and will
stimulate non-J Jewish and public rharl-
ties throughout the country to adopt
similar MEASURES. The Comn.rOuer of
TINS city is about to submit report to
the Board of E;stimate. CON niring re-
concentrations to the end hfat public
dependency may be diminished
The report prepared by the Comp
troter says that uhe Ma. lonal Confer
once OF lavish Quantities has effertive-
ly Pointed out way TO reduce the
number of dastitute qhlldran. Then. i.
says:
o "A most affective instrum mt devised
by the bureau Tor locating daserteus IS ,
a novel publicity plan. Elch sunday, /,
IN four Of the largest Ylddlsh papers |
in bhe United States and Canada, TN re 1
IS pub ished a gallery of missing nus
bands, consisting of dhp; osnaphs of
ieserters, with general description Of
Ihe men and thar fainM,s. Commun-
lhasions cantA.ning similar descriptions
are sent to various sources of possible /
.nformali>n, societies. employers, etc.
B1.ween February / and June /, 1911,
~ cases were referred 20 hhe bureau,
Of these 50 husbands. or 81 per cent of
4he total, have been loant a.. In some
iasAs raconci iations bntweCn the de-
'artors and their wives we've effect I'd.
n other cases ARRANGEMENTS Gor sup
,ort were made In other casas crhml-
M proceedings have been instltuted."
The Comptrollor then says slut the
'urqau astLlnates the loss 10 this city
rom dasonl.lion at not less than $780,
% annually, and he adds tllat the bu-
tlu believes that II ar m eIhnts
'eno adopted by the city a 'arge pre-
ntasa nf desc rt0rs wodld Ia atnre-