The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-06-02
Attorney-General McGhee
RENDERS TlOo Important Decisions On the Mothers Pen
sion BA.-He Says the Object of the Act Was to
Enable Mother to Stay Home With Her ChiIdre,

which must obtain before mothers
pension can be allowed to any mother
They are as follows:
First, the child or children for whose
beneft the allowance is made must be
living with the mother of such child or
children; second, the allowance shall be
made only when in the absence of such
allowance, the mother would be re-
CURED to work regularly away from
her home and children, and when by
means of such allowance she will be
able to remain at home with her chill
dren, except that she may be absent for
work for such time as the court deems
advisable; third, the mother must in
the judgment of the juvenile court be
proper person, morally, physically and
mentally for the bringing up of her
children; fourth, such allowance shall
in the judgment of the court be neces-
sary to save the child or children from
neglect and to avoid the breaking up of
the home of such woman; fifth, it must
appear to be for the benefit of the child
to remain with such mother"
Now it will be noted that in section
1882 the object and purpose of the
enactment of this statute is, set out
while in section 1888 the conditions
under which the pension may be granted
are set out. Neither in the object or
purpose as set out nor in the conditions
named in said section does there seem
to be any distinction whatever in refer
ence to the homes and children of I'm
naturalized persons as distinguished
from naturalized persons. The broad
term mother" is used in these statutes,
and the children of the mother" is used
in these statutes, in its broadest sense
and when the term home" is used there
seems to be no aim whatever in distin-
gushing between the homes of different
classes of citizens. So that so far as
the statutes themselves are concerned
it seems that there should be no dis
| tinction made between the mother the
home, the children of naturalized per-
sons and unnaturalized persons.
Furthermore, when we consider these
statutes in reference to their spirit
rather than in reference to their letter,
we must conclude that it is just as i'm
portant that the homes of the unnatur-
allied persons be maintained in all their
fullness and integrity as it is for the
homes of the citizens of OUR State to be
so maintained. 1t is just as important
that the children of the unnaturalized
persons be reared with every advantage
the State can afford and with all the
care and nurture that the mother in the
home can give, as it is that the chill
dren of naturalized citizens be given
these advantages. To a great extent,
believe that the children of immigrant
parentage are even more in need of all
these advantages than are the children
of our citizens, whether by birth or by
naturalization. To them and their
mother this is strange country. The
customs and institutions are foreign to
them. The habits and customs of the
people are not understood. Hence every
advantage possible must be given to the
mother and her children that they may
become a part of Our own State and
Country, not alone in body but also in
spirit.
Furthermore it would be contrary to
sound public policy to differentiate
between the homes of the unnaturalized
and the homes of the naturalized. What
this State and Nation must do is to make
those people feel that this is their home ;
that all the advantages this State af-
fords are theirs; that they are on an
equality with every other citizen of the
State; that in this State and Nation all
men are created free and equal. This
principle can not be implanted in the
minds and hearts of our foreign born
citizens if we make distinction be-
tween the most vital element that en-
tiers into the life of all of our citizens
viz, the homes of the State.
Furthermore, it would be contrary to
the spirit and teachings of our State and
Nation as founded upon the principles
and truths of the Bible. To Christian