New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-10
Many Organizations Plead
for Measures Before
the Legislature.
MILLS BILL HELD
ONE OF THE BEST
Advocates Point Out Evils OF
Breaking Up Families by
Removing Children.
From cOr.sponden: o, Tie Tribune.

Albany, Feb. 9.-Judge Aaron j.
Levy, who headed the state commits
sion for the investigation OF widowed
mothers pensions, maTshalled a strong
force of supporters Of such pensions
before the Senate Judiciary Committee
and the Assembly Social Welfare Com
mittee at hearing to-day. The four
widowed mother pension bills, intro
duced by Senators ogden l.. Mills,
George A. Slater and William n. Hill
and Assemblyman Martin G. MeCue,
were considered.
Senator Walters, chairman OF the
Judiciary Committee. said after the
hearing that the committee would act
on the bills next Tuesday, and u Is
expected the best features will be
welded together into one bill and re-
ported.
Judge Levy said that, while his cer9
mission had favored the Hill bill, &c
recognized that the bill of Senate.
Mills retained all the features OF the
Hui measure, and in addition had sew
eral improvements.
The only opposition to the measures
came from three representatives Oh
real estate interests in New York, ard
il was brought out that large per-
centage of real estate and taxpayers
associations of the city had no obJee-
ton TO widows pensions.
Charles NJ. Eidt, one Of the oppo-
nents. said ne appeared for the 18th
and 10th Ward real sstste owners as
so -iations, and he expressed the fear
that widows pensions would increase
taxes.
81 should like to ask the speaker"
said Assemblyman McCue, what ae-
ton was taken by the Murray Hill Tax
payers Association, of which he Is
president. last Friday night on the
question of widows pensions"
"Well, I'll have to admit" said Mr..
Eidt, Chat widows pensions were In
dorsed."
DR.. Abraham Korn. another opponent,
declared that widows pensions would
have a pauperizing effect. encouraging
men not TO work. "As 1t is" he added,
you often can't get men to work.
They don't want to work"
do you believe that" asked Mr.. Me-
Cae.
Yes. Why, down in the Hotel dc
Gink, I'm told, they lay around there
and won't work"
well, the man who gave you your
information about not being able to get
men to work." retorted the Assembly
man, sis either a fool or a liar. II he
went into any of the Tammany Hall
clubhouses he could get all the men he
wanted. There are scores there VINO
are begging for work"
Advocates of the bills declared
widows pensions would not involve the
state in any great outlay OF money Tor
the fumes now used in keeping children
of widowed mothers in institutions
4.
and the families kept together. IL was
argued that the breaking up Of homes
BIZ placing children in institutions was
one OF the greatest causes OF crime.
Judge Levy sad that 90 per cent OF the
inmates of prisons were inmates OF IN
stitutions when children.
Sonh.e Ireae Loeb. member OF the
evy comm ssion, made n strong point
in telling of widowed mother whose
hu band lied leav ng farm and sew
eral children. She continued TO run
the farm When her COW was taken III
she wrote to the State Department OF
Agriculture that she thought II had
tubercu osis. Medicine and other AID
were sent to her, and the COW recov-
cred. Finally she and the children De-
came Ill, and she again wrote 10 the
state authorities for aid,
of cattle" was the reply she got, there
ere no appropriations from which we
can help widows and children. We
suggest you apply to private charities.
"The state provides conservation Tor
nearly everything" said MISS LoeD'
"but does nothing 10 save the child:
Miss Loeb called attention to the fact
that there was considerable opposition
to widows pensions in Westminster
County.
"Why shouldn't there be-" she asked.
There are $50 officials in that county
who have the power 10 commit children
TO institutions with widows pensions
all these charitable jobs would be in
jeopardy" ,,v
Others who appeared for the bill.
were DR.. John L. Elliott, OF the Board
of Children's Welfare; Mrs. William
Einstein, president OF the Widow
Mothers Fund Association; Robert w.
Hebberd. secretary Of the State Board
of Charities; Helen NJ. Boswell, Of the
National Woman's Republican Associa-
ton; John J. Henley, Of the State Fed
Grafton Of Labor; Mrs. Mary L. Sinkho-
witch, of the Organized Settlements;
Mrs. William Grant Brown, OF the state
Federation of Womsn's Clubs, and Jus.
tice Cornelius Collins, OF the Court OF
Special Sessions. y
Representatives of many charitable,
reform, church and settlement organi-
cations were present for the measures,
and at the conclusion of the hearing
moving pictures were shown, depicting
the story of q widowed mothers trials.