The Washington times., 1915-04-24
Legislation Up to Present
Only Experimental and
Mistakes Must Be Recti-
fled, Declares Miss Julia
Lathrop.
Thrift Must Be Encouraged
Q Before Success Will Come.
Children'S Allowance Bet
ter Name For State Aid,
She Believes.
BY FLORENCE E. YODEI.

[< LII american SO-Calleu
Il mothers pension lsgis-
, lation UP to the present
time is merely expert
mental, and 1t is for the good Of the
nation that II only be. considered as
such." asserts Miss Julia Lathrop.
head Of the Chi!dren's Bureau. I'm
til we find some means Of stimulat-
ing the idea of thrift in connection
with this legislation, instead OF en-
couraging the idea of aid for cx-
treme poverty, our mothers pension
- laws will be a failure"
All Of that just after the New York
pension bill has become a law and
everyone thought that the very lat
insurance would be the model for
the rest!
But the sentiment Of Miss Julia
Lathrop Is not to be passed by light
ly, and perhaps 1t will not be long
before other suggestions which were
made by her during the same inter-
view will be acted upon.
OF course you know that mothers
pensions Is a misnomer," she began
at once. gathering her ammunition
in the form of a current magazine,
a gray pamphlet, and her eye
glasses near her.
That was the very first mistake.
and the one which will have to be
rectifled.
"A Children's Allowance"
The pension TO a mother be-
cause of her or her husbands in
ability to properly care for the
the mother but for her children.
The purpose Is not tc reward the
mother, not to give her a pre-
MUM for being poverty stricken.
but to safeguard and nurture the
education Of the child.
llke-a children's allowance.
That's more like 1t. 1t should
have been made that way in the
first place"
In talks with different people
on mothers pensions there Is al.
to each interview. there is a new
name given. Surely Miss Lathrop's
name. seems best, but since the
popular Phrase Is mothers pen.
sions. for convenience that will
b: bth the one used IN t29,En this st2ry; :.
continuously in mind" continued
Miss Lathrop. speaking rapidly.
for greater and greater things
are to come Of 1t and. therefore.
it must be 70 inded on more sure
popular code, one which touches
the life of the whole nation In
an intimate fashions has all the
more reason to have infinite time
and patience put upon lts con-
struCtion.
THE stimulation Of thrift and
economy should be made the ruling
factor, instead Of teaching that re
ward comes only through poverty.
Conservation Of that which is already
in possession Is the true meaning OF
constructive work.
There are two kinds of legislation
that which encourages social growth
and that which represses. This new
iegislat ton is daring, and its success
of its administration by intelligent
and well-chosen experts who have a
keen sense of human values. In one
Interpretation 1t will encourage social
growth, and II Interpreted in other
ways will be repression.
II can cite no better instance than
comparison of the laws OF Illinois
and the new law which the Danes
have made for the same purpose
action for the stimulation of social
growth, Of thrift. while the other
makes provision for that very thing
'The Illinois law states that
mother shall not receive such relief
who Is the owner OF real property
or personal property other than the
household goods.
Now, suppose we make nypo.
thetical case of mother whose
husband has been killed by acci-
dent. and she has a little insurance
money, and several very small chill
dren TO care for. The home. let us
say. Is partially paid for. Until