Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-12-11

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hand the hair of a five-year-old boy
who chung to her dress. The Other
children. girl of eight and boy Of
seven, looked up at her as children
only can look at. those they trust.
1T pays the rent" she went on, "and
it buys the coal and it gives me q
! chance to clothe them as they ought
to be clothed. Before the first check
from the county came we didn't have
any clothes that you might call
clothes. | didn't mind for myself, but
the little ones were without warm
things except what l could make for
them between the days work, and
even in July the winter isn't far off,
for the poor at least, and this house
is cold / hated to look ahead and
think of them shivering all day, and
the coal most gone, and then it was a
puzzle as to whether to spend our lone
dollar for food or warmth for them.
But now" she smiled again, its
different. 1t pays the rent, and it buys
the coal, and-we can eat three times
every day"
New York investigating.
New York is fighting for the very
law New Jersey now has. The fore
most charity and philanthropic stu
dents in New York city ardently in
dorse it. Every club in the City Fed
GRAFTON and all those throughout the
state have given it their unqualified
approval. The state of New York has
taken a step in the direction of wild
owed mothers pensions. Last year
the governor appointed commission
to investigate the workings OF the law
in several states, including New Jer-
sey. This committee will report upon
the ACCESSIBILITY of enacting similar re-
lief legislation. One of the members
of the commission is Mrs. William Elm
stein, president of the Widowed Moth
ers' Fund, who for many years has
been the heart and soul of the now
great movement. According to her,
there really is but one side to the
question.
There is not a bit of doubt" she
declared" that the state owes the
duty to the children. l speak ad-
visedly of the children instead of the
mothers However difficult and pa
thetic may be the condition of wild
owed mother, who is unable to support
her chil1ren and who must bring them
up in state of pitiful sordness or re-
linquish them to the state, the condi-
ton of the children is worse.
Eighteen States Give Relief.
"The influences of their early years
are the influences of a lifetime, and !
they make or mar them. And certainly |
it is obligatory upon the administra-
ton to see that all possible be done to |
Mother love and home surroundings |
are of inestimable value, and since the |
state can preserve those to the chill
iren it should do so.
Since have been interested in this |
10 states have adopted sys-
tenn of relief for widowed mothers, and
in every one of them 1t is working
beautifully. 1t can't help but be a last
ng success. The argument that the
state will be spending too much money
s not worth consideration The only
Inference is that the money will go di-
'ectly into the needy homes instead
If into institutions. 1t will do in
initely more good in those homes
han in institutions.
And, what is just as important, we
wish to do away entirely with private
That accomplishes very little.
t is only temporary relief and
Doesn't for a moment get at the big
principle of the situation"
Mr.. Bruere, the head of the Bureau
If Municipal Research. believes in
such relief, but he declares the pres.
mt scheme does not go far enough or
lute grasp the underlying principle of
he question.
Would Go Even Further.
"As a step in the right direction.
lie said, Il am In favor of the present
movement. In considering 1t | have
rome through many phases. And while
am theoretically In thorough agree
nent with It, / cannot help thinking
hat it stops a little short.
II prefer a general social insurance
hat will lay less stress on relief as
necessity and more on the payment as
right. For unquestionably there is
IN indubitable right that these moth
RS and children should have relief,
The danger in the present scheme,
[ seems to me, lie that the mother has
10 absolute surety she will be paid,
nd that there is no incentive for
husband and father to provide for his