Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-05
The Plan for Relief Is
Put Squarely Up to
the City as a Duty to
Those Who Are
Growing Into Citi-
zens of the Future.

per cent practically a pension, from the asso
citation, which supplemented her earnings.
This home is now Independent, and this
woman has a right to be proud of the winning
fight she made for her children"
Still another case outlined was that of q
widow whose husband had been in the city's
employ. She has four children, the oldest u
years old and the only support which the fam
lily has comes from the occasional help Of rela-
tives and from what the woman can earn tax
ing in washing.
tentative appeal already has been made to
Council by officials of the association, but, be-
cause of the decision of City Attorney Mayson,
unofficially delivered, that under the present
charter no such pensions could be granted, the
matter has been laid aside. The Associated
Charities is ready to continue the fight for pen
sions, probably even to taking the matter to the
State Legislature If it be found that the city
charter does impose too great a Limitation on
the pensioning power Of Council.
'The city gives the poor some money at pres
ent," said Mr.. Logan. at is little about So
a month. but it seems that giving this 1t can
give more. The matter of pensioning these
widows and of allowing them the right to rear
and care for their own children appears to me
a matter of public need and public service that
would make this matter of real significance,
and beyond a mere charity appeal. It merely
takes away from a basis of uncertainty the
present provision for the support of poor wi
dOws, and places it basis of permanence"
pamphlet issued by the Associated Chart
ties outlining appeal for help toward
curing the widows pensions, explains the sew
eral means by which a poor widow with chill
dren may subsist, showing that the best, after
all, is that means by which she can keep her
children around her and under her care. 1t
says:
Communities can now undertake to aid
widows with children in three ways:
First by placing all the children in orphan
ages and letting the mother take care of her
self by working.
"A second way to aid them is to put the
children in day nursery and let the mother
work during the day and take them home at
night.
There are mothers in this city who are daily
rising 5 o'clock in the morning dressing and
CooklnS DTedkIaSC lot Inree or -FOUR Cnlldren.
taking them off to a nursery, and then report
ing for ten hours work at less than six dollars
week. On leaving work they take their chill
dren home, cook their supper and afterwards
wash their clothes.
ut is all vain suffering and useless struggle
The mother breaks down, and the children turn
wayward they grow older.
"A third way Of helping widows with chill
dren is to give them regularly an amount suf
fcient to enable the mother to keep her home
together. She is worth more to the community
as the caretaker of her children than in any
other capacity.
This is not only the best way to care for
those widows who, with such aid can and will
make a proper home for their children, but it
is the cheapest way"
The plan of a widows pension was evolved
at meeting of the board of trustees Of the
association some time ago, and because Of the
hope it held out that here was the most effect
i've means of providing for the helpless poor,
1t was Endorsed enthusiastically and work to
ward It's establishment as an institution under
the ctty's laws began immediately.