New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02

~ fore giving up their children were starhngly
brought light in the closing weeks Of 1912 IN connec-
ton with the revelations made IN New York by the
Factory Investigating Commission. In order 70 earn
enough 10 pay only the rent some widowed mothers
were found be working nearly eighteen hours a DAY
IN foundries and textile mills. And even more appalling
were the disclosures about very young children some
four and five years Old work early and late on ari-
fetal flowers dolls clothes. merely 70 earn enough 70
buy the bread Obviously II was not from choice that
these mothers Of the tenementS shaved or played the
role OF hard asnlstesscS and kept the needles BUSY IN
little hands. These poor women were unreSerVed!y
sacrificing themselves fighting merely 70 sustain ex
iSence,-a they hoped for thcmSelveS,-and possibly
to lift the children they loved out Of the slough.
Is II surprising that these remarkable sho~ings have
given fresh impetus New York 70 the movement for
widows PENSIONS Il had its inception there in the dis
covery the part OF many spirited citizens that
spite Of the tremendous collected by the private
charitable societies. homes among the poorer sections
were being rapidly broken up than imagined
Although twenty-five per cent Of all who received the
casual aid OF the charities New York City were Wild
with children. too often the practice was 10 grant
them only five dollars when twenty-five dollars was
needed Not more than six or seven per cent. OF the
mothers applying for aid satisfactorily relieved,
according to Morris ID Waldman director Of the United
Hebrew Charities In October last il was announced
that practically all the rcegvIng societies were on
record TO the effect that they entirely unable 70
give adequate assistance the destitute families in
their
Another indication Of the seriousness Of the situation
out early in December, when President Cyrus {.
Miller OF the borough Of the Bronx said that he knew
OF teachers in the public schools who buying bread
and milk feed the boys and girls their classes who
arrived without having eaten breakfast. The widowed
mothers OF of them evidently unable 70 cope
with the problem of three meals Il day.
THE former financial secretary OF the Charity Organi
cation Society, DR.. Orlando +. Lewis. in inter
view October IL referred to a report made al char
table conference which declared that the relief policies
Of the societies in New York City did not result in such
a reduction of need in the OF destitute widows with
children 10 warrant continuation OF such policies,
and that there result grave and often reparabe
injury TO widows and their children. There were hun
dredS of women and children hungry in New York for
whom apparently only the State could effectively
The conclusion was that deserving widows should be
helped adequately in their homes rather than have their
children placed in an institution.
On the heels of this the announcement through
the State Board of Charities that the hrtythree hun
bred private charities and the Department OF Public
Charities collected annually thirty-ive million dollars
from the public; but that according 70 an expert OF the
Charity Organization Society only SIX hundred thou
sand dollars in material relief and money dispensed
by all Of them 10 the poor in their own homes While
undoubtedly philanthropy had done much in a cultural
way. perhaps than necessary il had neglected
the essentials and failed to relieve the obvious need Of
the hour.
In the last year the city Of New York expended
OS9 GO9 of the taxpayers money S.SiS dependent
children in aSyums. Half of these boys and girls had
widowed mothers who because OF their lack of little
money saw their homes broken up. The weekly allow
ance was two dollars and seventy-fve cents for each
child in institution with seventy cents additional
for schooling and other sums for medical attendance.
In the of fully twenty-five per cent Of the fami-
lies of these widows who applied 70 have their children
committed il reported by the ChildrcnS Bureau of
the Department Of Public Charities that their homes
should not be broken up merely because OF their nab
ity 10 support them.
That it would be eq ally economical and infinitely
for the city pa widows for the maintenance of
their children the verdict Of all qualified Judge
\ conservative estimate is that a mother could take
OF two children for the paid by the city of
New York To institution for child and still
forty-one cents a month of the taxpayers money.
l UNANIMOUS opinion exists apparently about the
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