The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

soHle rdulcal cnangeS Tn government pertaining to the welfare of women and children, especially is this true in re lation to the attitude of the courts to mother and child. The old order of taking a child from the unsuita ble home has given way to the new order of saw ing the mother. bettering the home and keeping the child with the mother; in this way the mother and home are both conserved for the sake of the child.
 We face this phase of the child life with a mother who is so poor it Is in- possible for her to care for the child. though this mother is in every way fit to be the guardian, thes child becomes an inmate of some institution. sup ported by the state, thus making 4he child in an indirect way public charge. We find mothers with insane husbands, the children in institutions are again a public charge, and the father also in the care of the state. The criminal hus- band, unable to provide, also necessi- tates the mother giving her children To the care of some asylum for this purpose.
 lnnumerable cases might be cited. One little woman, the mother of three children, was made entirely dependent upon the bounty of charity because hcr husband was sentenced to 10 years im- prisonment. Such woman, entirely un- prepared for earning living, becomes a public charge or a prostitute, to he,p her in the fight for existance wh1le the rather earns money for the state. no small part Of which is given to the Wife and children for their support
 Another case Is known in which tne mother deliberately prostitutes herself for the sake of her children. therefore defeating her own ends by making the nome unfit-such a woman, according to law, must have police supervision, If arrested a trial, thereby costing tho state sum of money which might with little addition be expended for the up- keep Of this family. allowing the mother to lead decent life and better her home conditions
 Institutional life for children, although 1t has for years seemed the only solution and to some extent. will have to still be carried on, Is by no means the ideal way In our own United States mothers pen sion laws have become part of govern- ment and 9 states are undertaking this method. In 1914 more than half the state Legislatures in session that year con- sidered bills providing public aid for mothers of young children otherwise de- pendent.
 Tn + of these mothers pension laws were passed: California, Idaho Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minne- sota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. In two Illinois and Missouri existing laws were revised and amended in Oklahoma the school scholarship provision was enacted in the revised school law; while in California and New Yorks laws were passed providing for commissions to study the question of mothers pensions. One additional state. Colorado, had adopted a mothers pen- sion act in 1912 which became effective In 1913. There are now in operation in 2l states dncluding Oklahoma) laws pro- viding aid to mothers in varying sums and under varying conditions. The earli- est of these laws were passed in 1911
 Thus 1t will be seen that in two years there has come into existence in states embracing half the population of the country a type of legislation whose pur- pose Is admittedly uniform. namely to se- cure for young children home life and personal care of good mother" (From letter of Julia C. Lathrop, chief of chill dren's bureau
 A pamphlet from the United States de- partment of labor children's bureau, re- lating to mothers pensions gives the his- tory of mothers pensions legislation in this country.
 The earliest laws providing for the care of dependeT1' 7'"'geu '- trair own homes was that C siee4pH in i31 In Illinois ir the sam e eiier 3uf more com prehensive funds Co 0arsHts act" was pa ssed.
 The next sts to lee m the sub Ject was Ccitr4ae. vhi aaap4ed by pop ular vote, t slnf hrTs 70 npensation act" subr1ted tF nttioH t the Mo- vember elt n 5t Fur many years the state ca Calisoenla has allowed to
 institution tt care pf den endent or phans and hal orpaens, rhe 3um of s10o and pantons 1iaren sr sum of STE per year. How efi ia ltIi tle law was changed ana authQfiLca rae ,ayment of this state pufsa. for aintainance of half oi hans ia ineir oe home. Tn Wisconsin iurt lni.e tate enact ment the, rletice ef fre bti public aid to poor nj hers fof rhe aag of children in their u h5ues h0d en started. The law Fed To t aiAo ling a state appropriat te net. haf ie expense
 Several "a cs in tpt'f n' ulsory edu- cation Ia have fn ovision for furnishing ioks a Aath ig to, poor children mus tr a end school The laws i'siah ald ichigan are here inclu oe1a1 they iiffer from the Usual of sei pol ase aw in that they maks Fovlsio. ir add ion for the payment 7af money X sat support of the children
 Of the aS sttes that we passed mothers ena.oa iaws, e.sat If them arc states in yiAch N men V3ee
 That Al tlsn saoni eHaf. such leg islatton is Lfps at 2. .na tier should be on the p1hiio 1rnst ia and should be giveE tkss a as szri'H lght on tho part of thu isf 1t.aa ssible pass ing of stnD ow greater freedom t ti t, and aid materially f1 new child labor law. wh the support of the chi u age.
 Childrtn Wn nfN institutions