The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-01-03
WIDOWS PENSIONS HELD TO
Be OF DOUBTFUL VALUE
TON CRITiCiZES The FUNDS
TON CRlClzES THG FUNDS
TO PARENTS" ACT.

ebiiN lfhcto.iH ipi NiuhNS VIII
children, instead of relief by overseer,
d, Of the poor or private charitable So
cictics. are being discussed in ever,
, part OF the United States. Laws
granting pensions viii be provided in
pany If the g. states whose legislat e
ures meet this winter
In order 10 get actual facts with
jregard 10 the Success or failure OF Wi
lows pensions i'm the few states which
; have already adopted them the Rus
sell sage Foundation commissioned l..
G. Carstcns, secretary OF the Massa.
chusetts Society Tor the Prevention OF
Cruelty 10 Chldree, 10 MAKE an in
tensiye study Of the subject
Mr. Carsteus who is one OF the best
known child saving experts in the
lcuuntry spent several weeks in San
Francisco six weeks in Chicago ana
shorter periods in Manassas City ana
Milwaukee His iul report TO the Sage
foundation will be published later as
a pamphlet Meanwhile that most i'm
: portant portion of the report which
deals with Chicago pension, aud his
general conclusions, are given here in
advance Vi Their publication in The
/ survey newt Saturday
Tho Report
The Illinois tuuds 70 Parents Act,
which enables the Juvenile Court 90 #;
pension parents il they are poor aud
unable TO care Tor their children. is
loosely drawn law which does not
| limit its benefits to widows or even TO
mothers, but permits the pcnsioning |
OF both parents. 1t is certain to b. !
given, IN time. a much wider inter |
probation than has yet been put upon .
i, iu Chicago which Is now. "A year 1
and half after its passage, The only |
Illinois community that has seen III |
to take advantage OF is provisions
After six weeks study of the pen
sion administration i'm Chicago and an
intensive .nyestigatiou of loO of Tie
500 families that are receiving aid.
the law docs not appear TO be one TO
initiate, though the judge Of the court
Judge Pinckcy has done everything
II safeguard its administration by in
wiling the leadns charities Of the cit,
and . group of socially minded citi i
zcns TO aid hun. To the committee
thus constituted, ana to the stauuch
way in which the judge has supported
,heir work, is due such success as has
been achieved.
In practice, tho pensions have been
largely confined TO widows with two q
lr more children, to women whose
usbands are practically disabled.
md 30 women who have been deserted ,
more than two years. Wholesale de-
'ertion would have been encouraged :
'y the pcnsioning vf families recently {
deserted. ON the whole, investigation d
Rows intelligent choice Of bcnciiciar- q
Is in the first instance, and more ad,-
luatc assistance than has been given 4
'eiore by the private agencies inter Z
st.d in the same families. |
But two very weak spots were dis Is
'oNered, up IN the greatly decreased
interest of relatives. churches and cm- ii
'loyors in doing their share since tho l.
'uhlic pension went into effect. a de {
reas" shown IN u out OF the 100 cases x
tudied, aud 60 in the total iucom- :
'steHgc ~ LARGE majority OF the pro
alton officers supposed 10 have super ;
ision of the pensioned families IN =
D." out Of loo families. their super {
iSiou was INADEQUATE; M - families u
ne conditions "cre such that there Q
houid be . court hearing or the
lsc and new order issued if the g
.ension is to be continued In 10 I
antilles now being penaiuned the L
ome Is too bad 10 be kept together. Il
wing to drink immortality or serious o
unmunclble disease. In other C.
words pensions" aud RELIEF seem e.
' have much the same effect and to 81
eed the same safeguards. 81
Tho law Was asitatod FOR as mean.
I keeping children out OF institutions =,
Mt the population of Chicago insti .
ltions VAS Is greater for the six 81
months ending June 80, 1879. than for q
ie same six months i'm 1911, when ~
here were no pensions. Families con %
aiming Loo children are being pen. n
Toned at d cost of nearly $1,000 81
lonth. II is estimated that Chicago II
aust pend 100000 next year If the
resent pension policy. even with rs
unusually strict Interpretation of the
rs, continues.
Ia summing ~ his conclusions. ~
fter visiting not only Chncsgo. but !,
an Francisco, Kansas city and Nil b.
.aukee. Sir carstcns points out Is.
J. The unwisdom Of copying q pen u
On law on the statute book Of one =
tate IN other states where resources, Il
isthods Of administration and need a
- quite different Fen within the T.
anne state provision should be- adapt ol
J 10 local conditions m
. adequate relief 1snnot Ice assured ot
3 estimating 20 much per child 90 .,
r. family. III" innexibility Of public al
ension funds has made it necessary +,
n the Chicago court 10 ask tho priv "
h agencies 10 take over the care ol b
number 81 families which IL cannot ~
.lieye adequately without danger 10 NJ
= whole administrative policy IN
3. New machinery for the relief Of q
Jecial class is being created without
saling with the machinery OF public al
lief already IN existence. In Chicago {,
4