New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02


Thus. Cook County. Illinois. on July last help
ny 32j mothers with over l2OJ children. The entire
cost Of doing this for Iunc S6,93696. IN average
Of s2l 30 was paid to each mother the families approx
mating three children each. This Is AZ the rate IL
seven dollar, for each child. During the last summer
Sl6.67O q month paid IN the entire State. ms
,,r there, will bc required total 81 S2OOOOO. l. l.
expected that Illinois will ultimately cxpcnd SJoWO
As a maximum ior widows pensions.
HEARTENED by this example Missouri SET to
IL work on similar lines and adopted law % com
pcn,4te mothers. While the amount Of the grant IS
not large II Is sufficient to keep mother from leaving
her children 10 seek living away from home ana with
wha, She by taking in sewing washing and other
work enables her 20 keep the family together.
Last October Judge portcricld Of the juvenile court
IN Kansas City asccraincd that Mrs John Jacobs Il
widow with several children was worthy Of pension
and directed tina, fifteen dollars month be PAD her
from the public funds. Usually the court allows from
ten 20 fifteen dollars month for bcreavcd mother
with one child. twenty dollars 10 widow with threc
children. These allowances are continued, 81 course
only after the mother has satisfied the court 81 her sue
ccssful discharge OF her duty. Before any pension IS
granted there is public hearing and residents are tree
t. offer objections in court.
Gratifying evidence that the law IS beng admins
tered with commonscnse IS evident from recent declS-
ion by Judge Portcricd On the ground that She at
tended motion picture shows and used powder on her
face a protest had been filed by the neghbors Of
woman whose application for pension was under con
declared that ii anyone had night TO 60 to see motion
pictures for recreation in his opinion was the widowed
mother Of eight children and that the charge OF using
face powder was too trivial 10 be noticed.
Recognizing that the pensions granted at present are
too small the Missouri authorities have under consd-
Grafton a REIMBURSEMENT OF the allowances on more
liberal scale.
II is encouraging to find that the movement for the
compensation Of mothers is making rapid Roadway in
many parts Of the country rs result OF the success
ful referendum the general election in Colorado last
November, widows pension measure will now be
passed by the Legislature Of that State. The details
as 10 the amounts Of the grants have not been settled
but Judge Ben b. Lindsey Of the juvenile court IN
Denver has drafted bill containing liberal provisions
on this score. The measure will undoubtedly become
a law before the close of 1913.
On the Pacific Coast publc-spirited woman. DR..
Nina J. CrOokc has brought about the introduction III
the Washington Legislature OF a mothers pension bill,
which is Of particular interest TO the feminine conn
gent Of the voters there She considers that the
nomic value Of the will be generally APP
prcciaed When asked to give her reasons for advocat
ing the bill She said:
"A moments consideration will convince any
prediced mind that is far better for the State 10 sup
port the mother and the fathcress children and keep
them together than it is for the children to be left 10
run the without or control, and thus soon
become criminals for the children to be cared for in
institutions at the expense OF the State
As Dr. Crookc has recently been elected 10 the Wash
ington Legislature from Pierce County, she expects 10
have considerable time to devote to bringing about the
passage of her bill in the Assembly and Senate and
securing the approval Of the Governor.
In California Oklahoma, and Massachusetts, where
the movement is making Roadway, 1t has been made a
special feature Of the work of women's clubs. and
noble groups of alert and hopeful women striving
earnestly to get laws enacted that will give 10 the
mother the money that from time immemoral has
been paid TO the aSyums where her children are now
clustered The battle cry is to set the children free,
and let them go back home with their mothers. One
Of the most effective arguments Is that mothers should
earn their living from the State by doing the most
iul thing they possibly can do,-bring up their own
children,
Throughout their campaign for pension laws these
clubwomen making significant of individual let
ters from widows which illustrate better than anything
else the hardshps of existing statutes in some of the