The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-01-23

((NKoTHBFs gone SwHT to the
N hospital and father. can
cook Just as good az she
can" exclaimed q fusty ten-yssr-
old boy on his way to school.
Sickness. business engaESmert
and death are the three factors
which either temporarily or Par
manently deprive many thousands
Of American homes annually Of the
nainstSy OF the family. As con
sequence there is 4 tremendous de-
terioration in the health, the NOR
ais and the intellectual progress Of
the children most directly con-
cerned. When Mother. plays out
everything else goes wrong" is the
way Erown-up daughter stated
the casa.
Just now, while this is being
written, - bright and capable father
is advertising far and wide for in
formation that will locate his six
teen-year-old prodiEHl son. The
mother died recently and the boy
was heard to say that It Just didn't
seem like home any more with her
away.
It Il = desperately hard task for
even the best Of fathers to sue
eeed long in managing the children
alone. One succeeds where ten fall.
A certain careful father. during the
six years since his companion died.
has kept up his regular business
and succeeded in putting his boy
and girl both through high school
All three are good housekespers-
Another good father, who started
out alone q year ago with the same
loss and with seven children TO care
for, has failed and the littlq ones
are now scattsrsd hopelessly.
There Is no known substitute for
Motherhood. although many have
souEh' for such a boon But, for
tunately, there Is 3 Motherhood In
Htinct in the breast OF all good
women, and once Il lie awakened
and put into service. even in behalf
of children not ones own. Its at
fectIonate care viii work wonders.
MotherinE children Is q service
which should occupy a considerable
period Of every womanly wife. The
chfldless woman must learn to rush
IN and take up the work left by an
other who has fallen out of the
ranks. and those mothers who have
room for one more IN their house
hold must I'LL the place with .
motherless child.
Another story will illustrate our
idea Some years Ago an eleven
ysar-old s bow lost his mother
through death and was left alone
with an honest. but helpless father.
THE boy soon ran amuok. and at
sixteen had become one Of the
young touEhs OF the community.
Then = married sister. with two
children OF her own. seized him,
partly by stealth and partly by
force.
She put him back into school. sat
up nights teaching him. encourage
ing Acknowledging him-hnally
sending him on through college.
To-day this boy La Major Sn-and-So.
hiEh-ulinded, clean. forceful. the
commander Of 100 men and IS
officers OF inferior rank. Who can
measure the value Of this older sis
tAr's service to society and the ma
ton:
So the admonition here offered to
the Great Motherhood Of America
IL this: See that your best nature
has something worth while to do.
II you have no children of YOUR
own be a mother 10 the motherIess
next door. Make out a plan for.
their care. training. health pro-
lection, schooling complete out
line that looks toward we'll rounded
maturity and sound citizenship.
No matter whether the mother is
hired out to work, is a hospital In
valid, Is e runaway. or has gone
90 her long home. Press in gently,
but insistently-not with goodies
or mere chArity-but with a cour-
aEeous scheme for the entire care
and guidance Of the little. mother
less cree lures.