Semi-weekly herald., 1914-04-09
stitution SO she can go to work some

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where"
II don't know what to do" said the
mother to the judge. "This lady said,
when | asked her for help, that
would have to put my children away
and go to work. l wish there was
some other way and she held her
baby closer and tried to include the
two standing at her knee in the pro-
tecting embrace. "Did you collect
anything from the steel company?"
asked the judge. mot yet, my case
comes up in about three months"
said the woman hopefully, but the
distracted face Of the Judge did not
reflect that hope. He knew tho courts
too we'll. He had been on that bench
for three years. Almost daily he
held conferences with the worlds
most famous charity workers. All
protestant and Catholic churches Of
the great city had paid agents there
to help. Millions were raised by char
ity, ostensibly to relieve just such
persons as Mrs. Brian.
The judge, probation officers and
charity agents held little confer
ence. Where shall we send the chill
dren? was the question. They knew
no other way. Not one of these court
officers, or charity experts could con-
ceive of any other way than breaking
up the family-taking these children
away from their mother, the supreme
crime of civilization, punishment
worse than death for the offense Of
poverty. For three years the Judge
has seen this thing go on. His face
was haggard, he looked like he was
ready for the hospital. He was too
humane to do this awful thing day
after day and not feel it. The char
ity workers appeared less affected.
To send the babies to an institution
would cost the county $40 per month
for each child-thirty dollars in all.
They were ready to pay this sum to
an asylum for taking care of these
poverty stricken children, but there
was no way the money could be paid
to the mother for performing the
functions Of which nature intended
her, and for which she was 10 well
prepared. The ak was about to fall.
The wagon was backed up to the door.
Trim nurses entered to take the bab-
ie1 from the mothers arms, in all
probability for ever, when something
happened. During the progress Of the
trial" two men entered. One Of
them was Henry Neil who for year
had been watching this destruction Of
families---the punishment Of women
and children for poverty and all in
the name Of kindness.
That same week Governor Deneen
had signed bill that was to revolu-
tionize the practice Of juvenile courts
and prevent the separation Of moth
ers and their children in the name of
sweet charity, habit that has be-
come so common that it was vest
ed right of the charity organizations.
Neil had presented the bill to the leg
islature and it was such little thing
that it crept through almost un-
noticed. Organized charity experts
knew nothing Of 1t. 1t was an amend
ment to the juvenile court act in
these words. "If the parent or par
ents Of such dependent or neglected
child are poor and unable to properly
care for said child, but are otherwise
proper guardians and it is for the
welfare Of such child to remain at
home, the court may enter an order
finding such facts and fixing the
amount Of money necessary to enable
the parent or parents to properly
care for such child and thereupon II
shall be the duty Of the county board
or through its agentS or otherwise
to pay to such parent or parents at
such times as said order may desig-
nate, the amount so specified for the
care Of such dependent or neglected
child until the further order Of che
court.
This law was to 90 into effect July
l, 1911. The family was TO be broken
up, nevertheless, because poverty
cannot wait three weeks. Neil eon-
ferred with the Judge. He agreed "a
pay Mrs. Brian $25 . month until
the pension law went into effect and
on July !, the very day the aet ~
came useful, Mrs. Brian was p4naisn-
ed, the first woman who ever drew )
pension for being mother. ~ I'm
lives with her own children ani dins1
then almost 1000 mothers havs w.,
psnsionsd in Chieago alons ~ ~
system y at work from ~ AtlI