Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-31
Editorial Comment.
Illinois Mothers Pensions.
est. Louis Globe Democrat.

st. Clair County, ILL.,, has levied
tax under the state mothers pension
act, which will produce the sum OF
s11 DOC, to be expended in the care OF
children in their own homes, instead
Of in institutions, or their going with
out proper care. Under the provisions
Of the law, a sum not to exceed a
specific maximum may be paid month
~ for each child supported by mother
who is widow, who has been de-
serted or whose husband is incapaci-
tated for work. The payment is direct
ed by court order upon the recommen-
6ation of parole officer. This is what
is know as 100 per cent" mothers,
pension law. Some states and some
cities by ordinance have a law with
much smaller percentage OF COM
pleteness. The deserted mother, or the
mother who has on her hands help
less husband as we'll as small child
rem to support, gets no help under the
small per cent. laws, though she Is
in most cases the one most needing
and deserving of aid.
The object of the mothers pension
is to prevent the breaking up of homes
and the robbing of helpless mothers
of their children, which is the bad fea-
ture of our present institutional sys-
tenn. 1t recognizes the fact that a de-
cent home, however humble and poor
Iy provided. where a mother lives with
her own children, is better place for
those children than any institution, or
any EARNED out" home in the world
provided the mother is of good char
aeter 1t also recognizes the fact that
no mother should have her children
taken away from her for the mere mis-
fortune of being deprived of the sup
port of husband and father, followed
by her own inability to support them
properly. Her rights as mother still
exist, and ia common with the right
of the children to the home life with
the mother, make the strongest posi-
BILE argument for such help as the pub
lie is called upon to give, to be given
for the maintenance of the home and
the mothering of the children, instead
of breaking it up and making need
less orphans of them.
At recent meeting of social work
ers in New York not much enthusiasm
for a mothers pension law was de-
BGiOPeQ. LIE. impression tutlc ScSIuS
to be that too many women who
might get along without help would
demand and secure it under lax ad
ministration of the law. The ex
cessivoly large proportion of foreign
clements in the slums of New York,
where pride of independence and self
support does not exist as much as else
where, and where administration of
public funds is not so high a plane as
in some other cities, accounts for this
attitude. But where the law is admin
isterod in its spirit, where competent
parole officers and conscientious. as
well as humane, judges look after its
details, as may with safety be expect
ed in city and county like Belleville
and St. Clair, the law should work
perfectly and with a good effect upon
mothers, children and the general So
cial welfare. In the giving of aid,
whether public or private. the unde-
serving and the schemers have always
to be guarded against, but when the
work is in competent hands this may
be done, and neither the deserving be
neglected nor a good law rendered of
no effect.