Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-20
HENRY NEIL HERE
BOOSTING SCHEME
TOHELP MOTHERS
Chicago Judge, Father of Pen
sion Plan, Confers With
Local Associations.
ABOLISH CHILD POVERTY
This Is Aim Of Man Who Has Sue
ceeded in Getting 1e States to
Adopt His ideas.

Judge Henry Neil Of Chicago, father
of the mothers pension. is IN Rock
Island today on a most unique mission.
He will confer with the commercial
educational and political associations
in behalf Of his plan for the abolition
OF child poverty.
Judge Neil led a campaign which so
far has resulted in the adoption Of
the mothers pension system n 70
states. Illinois being the first.
Now he proposes another step for
ward. He IS travelling over the whole
country seeking a city whose citizens
will undertake a work. the like Of
which has never before been attempt
ed in the world, at any time or place.
u am looking for a city" he says,
(which will officially declare by vote.
II necessary. that IL Is rich enough in
natural resources and that its men
and women are Intelligent enough and
energetic enough 70 abolish child pow
erty within the city limits.
Such a declaration should state
that this is to be done within a year.
The people should understand that We
cannot make people good by legisIa-
properly shelter every child
II q child's parents do not prop
erIy care for their offspring then the
whole city or county shall do it.. No
city can long permit itself 70 be dis
grsced by child-pOverty.
Everywhere I go I see commercial
associations and booster clubs shout
Ing OF the advantages OF their towns
But when / look around and see chill
dren and their mothers in poverty and
often starving. the bOortsrs appear
ridiculous. The city that first aDol-
lshes child-Doyerty viii boost itscif
the C-eatc-t and Prove that y Is
rich IN natural resources and that IT,
leading men are intelligent
Any city IN America e. rich eloU-h .
% abolish poverty. ! believe a email
city has q better chance 10 achieve
this distinction than has q large one. .
hope ny search fer q city where no
child Is IN poverty viii end - Rocl.
Isla1t."
Has Made c3od.
Can 2 MAJ over - make good ir a
rev field? Henry Nell whose cam
salg1 for mothers pensions he's bee=
he most successful o. any reform cam.
)aign in the history OF the world.
proved that the mar ovc- 81 car start
.Eings and win out To prove that
lis campaign i5 historically record /
breaking, II has only % DC told tha: IN
ess than three years he has caused %
DC adopted into the law OF - states
an absolutely new p-incip!e-thc
nottc-s' pension. This s.. 20 the pub
&C school idea, the most revolution
10y, AID :he most promising.
Five years ago Nell was 2 business
nan. lie has seven children. lived in
A suburb and paid no attention To uoii-
les or reforms. buL one nigh. friend
COX HIN 70 hear Judge Mckenzie
-lc-crd speak OF probation o. a-st Of
ieoders. his interest was excited and
he mex, day he formed the Na.i0aa.
Probation league which conducted c
successful national campaign.
What becomes o. tke children OF
prisoners he asked and running the
question down he found the
uverile court Of Chicago taxing the
children away from their mothers.
hundreds OF them were kidnapped. lie
saw mother. whose only crime was
pcve-t-, fsu IN swOon or become
'ev!cG demons. when their children
we're taken away forever. Neil had
seven q home and the process horri-
led him. re found that this kidnap-
ng IS goi-E CT n every state. Its hor- !
-c-s have never been Adequately told /
and can never be. He found charity .
organizations aiding IN this kidnapping.
Day afte- day he sought the facts. Out ,
u It all came his idea o. pension law ,
an idea conceived by others, but
lever bofore by one who was so pas {
.ioaztely determined 10 proven: the ,