Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-20
WIDOW PENSION
BY THE CITY
IS URGED
Associated Charities Also Favors
School Board Fund-Want
Steady Income.

a movement to establish a munic-
ipal pension fund for widows with
children whom they can not support
viii be inaugurated at a meeting of
the board of directors of the Asso-
cisLed Charities at the Hotel Ansley
Friday night
The plan will be preached to the
directors by President Linton c. Hop
kins and Secretary Joseph Logan.
who conceived the idea. 1t is pro-
posed that the City Council make a
special appropriation for this pur-
pose, to be known as the widows
fund" and that it be handled and dis
bursed by the financial departments
of the city government.
The system that the directors of
the Charities will be asked to in
Gorse is virtually the same as the
widows pension act" that has been
adopted and is working out success
fully in 20 States of the Union.
Huge Fund Not Necessary.
IF our plan is worked out thor
oughly and adopted by the City Coun-
Gill; Mr.. Logan said Friday morning.
1T will eliminate much of the suf-
fering and poverty that now faces
widows with large families who are
suddenly deprived of the wage Garner
of the family. 1t would require no
vast amount Of money to put the plan
into effect, since only the cases of
greatest need would be attended to.
we do not propose to have the
handling of this fund. 1t would be bet
ter for the city financial department
TO handle and disburse it, making it's
own Investigations and doing all the
work connected with the proper dis
tribution of the money. thus making
it municipal and not personal char
lty."
City Inquiry To Be Asked.
Though the proposition has never
before been discussed by the directors
of the Charities, it is considered prob
able that official action will be taken
tonight. A resolution urging Coun-
ell to investigate the feasibility of the
scheme and make the appropriation
will, It Is understood, be introduced,
and there is little doubt that it will
pass. Many of the members of the
board have been approached as to
their opinions of the idea, and the
majority of them are in favor OF it.
Mr.. Logan stated that if the Chari-
ties indorses the pension plan the or
ganization will use every effort to in
duCe Council to make the needed ap-
preparation and become the first city
of the country to officially care for itt
widows and orphans without forcing
them to get relief from charitable in
stitutions.
The board also will discuss the feas-
ibility of plan whereby school
books will be furnished by the city
10 those children of the city whose
parents are unable to purchase them.
This plan also calls for an appropria-
ton by Council, to be handled by the
city financial department.
Poor parents could make applica-
ton to the city for the books, an in
vestigation could be made, and If the
be supplied, removing the element of
personal charity that attended the re-
cent campaign conducted by the Char
tiles in behalf of the poor children Of
the city
Plan to Get Steady Income.
1t also is probable that the direct
ors will devote considerable time to
the discussion of ways and means to
secure permanent income for the or
ganization. 1t is planned to reorgan-
iZe the finances Of the Charities, prob
ably by asking the members 10 in
crease their donations, and by seCur-
ing new members Some plan must
be devised at once or the Charities
will be forced to close its offices ana
abandon its work.
The $4,000 being raised by the Ro-
tarv Club is only an emergency fund
to enable the Charities to carry on
their work for another month or two,
to tide the organization over until
some means can be devised to secure
a permanent income. The fund that
will be supplied by the club will not
be sufficient to carry on the work dur
ing the remainder of the present year.