The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-18

er having one child under 16 years
and 50 for each additional child. The
Legislature appropriated $4,000 for
the first two years of the laws opera
ton.
The New York statute applies to
widows with a child or children under
16 who will be allowed the same
amount as it would cost the state to
support them The Montana law APP
plies to mothers with children under
IA and whose husbands are confined
to a state institution or are physically
incompetent; the Nevada law to wild
ows only. In Oklahoma. both widows
and mothers whose husbands are in
sane or prisoners are eligible to the
benefits of the law, the compensation
being $40 a month for one child under
4 and IS a month for each additional
The Wyoming law is similar. The law
in Tennessee applies in counties OF 90
600 population or more and having
made mandatory. Sixteen is the age
limit and $40 and 50 the compensa-
ton. Washington passed a bill MAX
ing her mothers pension provision
somewhat less liberal.
Six Act on Divorce Laws.
California. Colorado, Connecticut.
North Carolina, Nevada and West Vir-
ginia acted on divorce laws, California
amplified hers so that judges were
granted power to call in the district
attorney where fraud or collision is
suspected. Colorado amended hers so
that a decree shall not be issued until
six months after the divorce has been
granted. Connecticut added incurable
insanity to the list of grounds for d1-
vorce before the courts. Previously
this cause had to be taken to the leg
islature. North Carolina passed a
II: easure changing from ten to two
years the period required to establish
desertion, but the act met such a
storm of protest that it was repealed
the next day. Nevada returned to her
law the six months residence clause
West Virginia created in each county
the office of divorce commissioner"
with power to investigate divorce suits,
appear at trials, examine witnesses and
defend the interests of the state to
prevent fraud and collision.
The senate of Indiana passed a
eugenic marriage measure, but it was
defeated in the house. Legislation to
promote healthy marriages and check
The law requires all physicians to re-
port cases of social diseases to the
state board of health which is en-
powered to prescribe quarantine regu-
lations.
Labor Laws for Women.
Labor laws for women were enacted
in Kansas Maine, Massachusetts, and
Wyoming. Maine wrote into her stat
utes a fifty-four hours a week law for
both women and boys under sixteen
dries. 1t stipulates that such en-
ployees shall not work more than nine
hours a day unless for the sole pur
pose of permitting a shorter schedule
for one day in the week. Massachu-
sets legislated to prohibit the work
ing of women and children overtime
for the purpose of making up for the
time lost a legal holiday. WyO
ming enacted for her working women
an eight-hour day: and both maxi
mum hour and minimum wage laws
for women were passed by Kansas.
A commission to investigate a pro-
posed minimum wage law for
women was created in Ohio. A
bill providing for minimum wage for
women in Michigan was killed in COM
mituee. although the commission ap-
pointed by Governor Ferris two years
ago to investigate the subject. return
ed a strong report in favor of the en-
actment of such a lew.
New Mexico passed an act increas-
ing the property rights of the wife
and Wyoming and Idaho in
this particular placed wife and
husband on an equal footing.
New Jersey authorized the appoint
ment of women policemen. oregon
forbade discrimination between male
and female public school teachers in
the payment of salaries. An attempt
in California to enact a law to forbid
women to shake dice for money or
prizes was defeated. So was a bill
providing for women jurors.