Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-19
CITY WIDOW
PENSIONS
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
will be InauGurated at a meeting Of
the board Of directors Of the Asso-
ciated Charities at the Hotel Ansley
Friday night,
The plan will be preached to the
| directors by President Linton G. Hop
kins and Secretary Joseph Logan,
who conceived the idea. It Is pro-
posed that the city Council make
special appropriation for this pur-
pose, to be known as the widows
fund" and that 1t 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
oughy and adopted by the City Coun-
Gil" 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 its
| own Investigations and doing all the
work connected with the proper dis
tribution Of the money, thus making
! it municipal and not personal char
ity."
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
o-night resolution urging Coun-
ell to investigate the feasibility Of the
| scheme and make the appropriation
will, 1t 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 #.
Mr. Logan stated that If the Chart
ties indorses the pension plan the or
ganization will use every effort to in
duce Council to make the needed APP
preparation and become the first city !
Of the country to officially care for it, !
widows and orphans without forcing |
them to get relief from charitable in
stitutlons
The board also will discuss the feas-
ibility OF a plan whereby school |
books will be furnished by the city |
to 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 |
applicants are worthy the books could |
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 Got Steady Income.
1t also is probable that the direct !
ors will devote Considera bic time to |
the discussion Of WAYS and means to |
secure a permanent income for the or |
ganization. 1t is planned to reorgan-
lie 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 and |
abandon it's work
The $4,000 being raised by the Ro- /
tary 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 /
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, |