The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-06-29

In tne IlrSJ week OF June, lJll,
woman with three children, two cling
ing to her skirts and one smuggling
in her lap, sat in straight-back
chair before a Judge in the juvenile
court of Chicago. This Court room
was across the street from Hull
house, and block from the Mary
Crane Day nursery. A dozen agents
Of organized charity were there to
aid in solving the problem of the
destitute mother. A probation of
ficer reported on the cease" The
destitute mother, in court terminol-
ogy, is a cease"
Mrs. Brian was a typical Cease
Eight months before her husband had
been injured while at work in the
teel mills He lived a few weeks
and then died. The woman had gone
through the grade and high schools
and had hope of a decent life. When
the accident occurred they had $500
saved Up, and were about to buy a
home on the instalment plan.
The doctors and living expenses. be-
fore the workman died. took part of
this hoard, so painfully gathered
After the funeral Mrs. Brian set out
to earn a living for herself and her
three children, the oldest under five
years, and one infant. Like thou
sands of other women, she thought
of keeping roomers, and used the last
of her savings to pay an instalment
on a furnished house in the poor
district, where she expected to shell
ter homeless working people at so
much per week.
The business failed, as it was des-
tined to do. A woman with three
children cannot keep up a rooming
house even for poorly paid working
people. One after another of the
guests left and this bright day in
June found her in the dingy juve-
nile court, where she had been taken
by agents of organized charity.
One of these agents reported:
Your Honor, this woman is about to
be set out on the street. She can
not pay her rent. But she is able
to work and we plan to place her
children in an institution, so she
can go to work somewhere"
81 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 | wish there
was some other way" and she held
her baby closer and tried to include
the two standing at her knee in the
protecting embrace.
Did you collect anything from the
steel company" asked the judge.
Not yet; my case comes up in
about three months" she said, hope
fully, but the distracted face of the
judge did not reflect that hope. He
knew the courts and the steel bust
ness too well.
He had been on that bench for
three years. Almost daily he held
conference with the worlds most ia
nous charity workers. All Protest
ant and Catholic churches of the
great city had paid agents there to
help. Thousands were raised for
charity, ostensibly to relieve Just
such persons as Mrs. Brain.
The judge, probation officers and
charity agents held little confer
ence.
Where shall we send the child
dren?" was the question.
They knew no other way. Not
one of these court officers, nor char
lty experts, could conceive of any
other way than to break up the
manipulating these children away
from their mother, the supreme crime
of civilization, punishment worse
than death for the offense of pow
erty.
For three years the judge had seen
this thing go on. His face was
haggard, he looked as if he was
ready for the hospital He was too
humane to do this awful thing dav
after day and not to feel it. The
charity workers appeared to be less
affected.
To send the babies to an institu-
ton would cost the county $40 a
month for each child-$3O in all.
They were ready to pay this sun
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 perform
ing the functions for which nature
intended her, and for which she was
so well prepared.
The AK was about to fall The
wagon was hacked nm Of +ho H.