Evening star., 1913-03-02

for several years; but his interest in it was mainly
utitarian This practice has worked to bring about
complete separation of mother and child
A grotesque commentary the lack of system in
this dscredted method is the fact that the Board
of Estimate of New York City found to be paying
hundred and seventeen dollars year to widow
for taking of another bereaved mothers boy. Ap
parenty the only condition exacted was that payment
of public relief in such must be for caring for
strangers child.
No wonder these revelations helped to bring about
the formation of the Widowed Mothers Fund Associa-
tion for the double purpose of attracting aid
generously with and personal service to widows
whose homes were IN danger OF dissolution The first
year $21 900 raised, and by conscientious effort
pension of SIS month provided for $50 families
with $50 children Out of these grants the association
directly dispersed S93O7 for rent ST. 983 for groceries,
$SO5 for clothing 500 for coal S377 for Shoes $3.50 for
furniture, S25 for milk, SlS2 for board $26 for ply
slcians, and SIP to set widows up IN business where
they could support themselves Only 81 1876 was ex
pended for administration.
With this excellent work under way, the association
began agitation for State pensions to widows, and
many prominent citizens indorsed the project. Ex
President Theodore Roosevelt said, al believe that the
widow left by the death of her husband with dependent
children must receive from the State what is needed SO
that she may live and bring up her little ones.
Another enthusiastic supporter IS the well known
authority defective children, DR. Max g. Schlapp,
who declared, "If the breadwnner of family dies the
breadwinners of the State ought to provide for the
widow"
In announcing his advocacy of the measure, George
McAneny president of the borough of Manhattan.
lated the following anecdote as having bearing the
matter:
Sometime ago | visited the alrnshouse on Black
wells Island, and noticed young sitting by her
bed apparently waiting only to fall into it and die be-
there nothing else for her to wait for She
blind and from her face the last vestlge OF hope
had fed On inquiry found that she had lost her hus-
band and gone blind within the year. and that her four
children were scattered in various institutions. On
finding that it would cost only five dollars month
have her visit these children month, gave the
superintendent of the home my personal check for
sixty dollars that she could have year of visits
her little That my luxury And the last time
l saw her she different woman"
W/ITH the backing of the St. Vincent de Paul Soci-
W ety. the United Hebrew Charities the Associa-
ton for Improving the Condition of the Poor, the
Nurses Settlement and every other progressive nflu
in the realm of metropolitan philanthropy, the ad
vocates of pensions to widows have made report
the State Board of Charities recommending the estab
lshnent of Departments of Home Assistance for be-
reaved mothers. These will be provided for in the bill
to be introduced in the Legislature at Albany this year.
and localities throughout the State will be author
lied to grant to dependent widows of good character
with two or more children under school age adequate
public relief that will enable them keep their homes
together and bring up their little Their husbands
at the time of their death must have been citizens of
the United States and residents of New York.
1t is proposed to take the relief thus granted OF
the annual city budget and the publcs money is to
be paid through the private charitable societies in the
form of monthly allowances Each family is to receive
its grant in full with deduction of any The
tire expenditure will be under the general supervision
of the State Board of Charities which shall require that
every private society taxing part IN the distribution OF
relief must first be certified competent These pri-
vate organizations make all necessary investga
ions the eligibility pensions of the families ap
plying for help and also to maintain necessary super
vision them The entire cost of this end of the work
IS to be borne by these societies out of their funds
1t may be conceded that hitherto governmental aid
of families has unfortunately not worked uniformly well
and however excellent in principle its practical appca
ton thirty years agowas abused both by the politicians
administering it AL by unworthy applicants. When
New York and other cities in the 70's gave public
lief it failed and this perhaps there has been
undue fear of trying social experiment. The first