New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-23
TO AID ARMY WIDOWS
Wife of Colonel |. M. MauS
Wants to Raise 100000.
PENSIONS ARE TOO "TINY''
Erection of Apartment Houses
with Flats at 81 a Month
Her Scheme.

While the world is ringing with the
praises of Mrs Helen Gould-Sheparo
for her many charities and personal De
neficences, il is the psychological moment
to ask other people Of wealth to folio"
her example
This is the ingenious idea Of Mrs. l.. NJ
Maus, wife OF Colonel Maus. OF GOV
ernors Island. and founder of the Army
Relief Fund, who told the world and The
Tribune reporter yesterday OF her PEI
hobby, the relief of army widows. Sh'
wants $4,000 to erect apartment houses
for the widows and orphans of army men
whose tiny pensions make living very
hard under ordinary conditions
IF We could have house on govern
ment land" said Mrs. hIaus. there woulo
be no tax on IT, and rents could he very
low. I have thought that 81 month
would be enough for a four-room MAJ
That 81 would simply 20 into the heating
and lighting Of the building.
Americans do not realize the pitiru
condition of many Of our army "idows
They are what / call 'genteel poor you
know. They arc not fitted to earn tEeii
own living. and the moagre salary our O.
6cors receive does not permit man tt
save much
Few persons know that the WIDOWS pe"'
sion law has not been altered since the
Revolutionary Warm spite OF the IN
crease I'm the cost OF living since those
DAYS. Widows of officers receive So. SIS,
go and So a month. according TO the rank
of their husbands, and each chlid receives
g month until sixteen years OF age.
know a widow whose income IL 80 Out
NJ this money she Is supposed to feed
clothe and house herself and four chil-
drcn.
"At the beginning Of the Spanish Amerl'
can war there were many eNtraNasah'
gifts of iewel-hilted swords and other use
less things. | had so many pitiiul ie''ei
from army women who were desperately
I'm need of hard cash. Swords dlun pay
rent. neither did they furnish protection
against Spanish bullets. II was at that
time that was impelled 10 form the
Army Relief Society. which. however. mas
been able to furnish 40 far only tempo
rary relief to widows. Ny nope was 10
furnish permanent relief also by the erec-
ton OF these apartment houses at WASH
iueton. at the Soldiers Home or AT Fort
Nycr.
while / was in England three years
ago sir James Glldea took me out 10
two or three places around London which
had been set apart by Queen Victoria or
built more recently by Queen Alexandra
Both these women were enthusiastic M
their zeal TO show their gratitude to the
wives whose husbands had given all IN
defence Of their country. | had hoped
that We might interest ten philanthropists
who would give $1,000 each for this hrs'
widows nome. but my husbands pro-
lougcd service tn the Philippines. CUBA
etc. has kept me far from my own coun-
try until recently.
4 come back TO find splendid building,
erected for good charities and educatlchdl
PURPOSES. but orr poor army WIDOW mas
had no one 10 Uut her into the pool Wncil
tho waters were troubled, and so she
labors ON with q hard feeling growing III
hcr heart that our country has taken her
All and given her little OF nothing IN re
turn. / am an Intense American, now
ever. and still hope that before many
wears we Will have these apdt tmeni
houses on army reservations such a. foll
Thouas. Cincinnati. given for the use oil
our bereaVrd ones. and that their children
Will pee raised To feel that though they
have lost their father that the kindly rich
people are anxious 10 show parental m
i,rcst and. as far AZ possible. compensate
for On" loss
so shall keep trusting that the beau-
tffut patriotic example of Miss Gouid VIII
be followed bv Others who viii remember
that there are no pockets ia our shrouds
aud that not a DAY passes mat Shc doeS
not receive some expression OF gratitude.
sn that she enjoys whnt she has given far
NOR. than that she has kept"