New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-13
MOTHERS URGED TO JOIN
VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
rB. Goodman Believes That Is
Best Way to Keep Track of
Children of East Side.
POLICE AID WELFARE WORK
Arrest Men Who Hang Around
the Parks-Dr. H. H. Horn
Talks on "Child's Hered-
itary Background"

Two men talked at the meeting OF the
New York City Mothers Club in the
Hotel Aston. Yesterday. and between
,hen they pretty nearly told the women
=. whole duty of mothers The first one
was Dr. n. r. Horn. of the New York
r.niyersity. VINO came in place of pr.
Robert MacDougall the latter being UNI
sbl. TO keep his engagement to speak.
Dr MacDougalrs subject was The
Cbild's Hereditary Background" and Dr.
Horn took the same.
one comforting thing he said was that
vou didn't inherit your parents bad
habits. Your father might be a drunk
ard and YOUR mother a cocaine fiend. but
Won wouldn't. therefore, banker after
wbiskey and drugs. You would however.
inherit the weakened fibre. which was the
result in your parents OF their indulg-
ence.
People ought 10 be vary careful whom
they marry the speaker said. II should
no '1 love my wife husband. but oh,
eugencs."
Never" ne said. marry one who has
the same sort of physical weakness You
have. Marry one who is strong where
YOU are weak For physical Weaknesses
may be transmitted. though habits are
uot-no. not even the churchgoing habit"
Mothers ought to bring their boys and
girls up so they would use reason as
well as love when they come 10 marry,
Dr. Horn said. a woman in the audience
inquired. What about orphans?"
Dr. Horn said ne didn't believe God in
tended there should be many orphans. II
eugenics was properly considered. par
cnts would be healthy. and they wouldn't
die and leave orphans; they would Ike to
bring their children up so they wouldn't
have 20 be- put in institutions. Dr. Horn
didn't agree with Jacob Riis's estimate
that 9o per cent of the children in insti-
tutions turned out well. lie thought it
was nearer so per cent.
The other man who addressed the
mothers was +. B. Goodman. Of the
Welfare Committee of the Jewish Com
munity Mr. Goodman told of the at
tempt ne was making to organize mothers
Of the East Side into a vigilance commit
tee % keep track of their children while
they are not in school
we have done much work" he said.
Through the police. Commissioner
Waldo has let us have some good men.
fitted for the work We have tracked.
arrested and secured the conviction OF
men who hung around parks and en-
ticed girls away. We have done great
deal Of that work. but now We need the
cooperation Of the mothers.
Many OF the East Side mothers are
ignorant; We must help them to see.
They take boarders into their crowded
rooms-boarders whose life and morals
they don't know. They don't comprehend
the danger 10 their girl children. And
how many Of those mothers know where
their little girls arc after they leave
schOol-what mischief they may he in
what perils they may be subjected to?
Several Of the mothers in the club told
Mr.. Goodman they would come TO the
meeting OF his vigilant society when
cate was decided upon. and would speak.
Mrs G.. A. Butler wound up yesterdays
gathering with a little talk. She said
there were too many amateur mothers
nowadays. what the country needed was
professionalism in that department.