The Washington herald., 1919-04-14

An ordinance Is to be passed in New
York city imposing a stiff fine upon
landlords who discriminate against
children as tenants. Heretofore II has
heen about as easy for the traditional
camel TO go through the eye OF the
needle as 1t has been for a family pos
sessed Of a bunch of little olive
branches to get into hrst-class
apartment house.
Little Bobby and little Susie have
been distinctly persona non gratia-
Nobody but their own particular pa
rents desired their society. No roof
longed to shelter their homeless
heads. No rented doormat had wei
come" written on it for them. Pom
eranian pups might find place for
their be-ribboned- baskets in the tow
erinK mansions of the cliff dweuers,
but there was no room for baby's
cradle.
1t has been the custom to comment
bitterly upon this and to say that
there was no crime that a New YORK
apartment house manager would not
condone except the crime OF having
children. Also, i has been the fashion
to picture the! landlord who hung out
the NO Children Allowed" sign as
coIdblooded Ierod. who was ready TO
murder theiinnocents in order to pro-
vide hinseL with childless tenants.
All of g.his is most unjust. The
fault is not with the landlord who Is
not wiling to allow children In MS
house,, but with the parents who per
init gheir children to be such MOOD
Iunrs and yandals that they wreck the
houses In which they live and depre-
cVate the value of all real estate in
fneir immediate vicinity.
' The theory that all children are an
gels who bless the place where they
abide and add to the joy and happi-
ness of all about them Is a pretty con-
ceit. Unfortunately. however, II mas
small basis in fact. One small chliu
will damage a place more in a week
than an adult will do in five years.
And one leather-lunged infant VIII 90
more to spoil the rest and peace and
quiet of its neighbors than a dozen
brawling, quarrelihg,, drunken men
would. Hence the popularity OF chllo-
less, tenants and bachelor apartments
This is not because wo do not love
children. There is nothing else In the
world that so appeals to the heart OF
humanity as little child, and when
We find one that has been properly
reared, that has been taught seit-
central and consideration for the
rights of others, we are all ready 10
fall down and worship before 1t.
Put alas, well-raised child now
.davs is an infant phenomena which
few Of us are ever privileged to be
hoId although we would gladly travel
many miles and pay out good money
10 see one. The modern child ism I
hrouqbt up by the hand. especially by
a roother's hand, for mother Is 100
busv doing the society act or the
nbIia ntbropic stunt to have time to
bother with a trivial matter, such as
teaching her own children morals and
manners.
Or else she is so wrapped up in her
children that she cannot correct their
faults. because she is so blinded by
her infatuation that she cannot see
when her own offspring do wrong.
And between the mother who neglects
her children and the mother who cod
dies them too much, there Is small
choice so far as results go and the
general public is concerned.
The neglectful mother lets her chill
dren wreck and ruin and make nte
hideous for all about them, because
she Is too much occupied with her
own affairs to care what they are
doing so long as they are out from
under her feet.
l The overtender mother lets her
children go their devastating way be-
cause in her eyes they can do 20
wrong, and nobody should object to
being sacrificed for the little dears'
pleasure.
The negfectful mother sends her
children out in the halls of an apart
ment house to howl and shrek so
they won't disturb her morning nap,
although she knows they will wake a
dozen other people up. The over
tender mother calls the nervous in
valid below her a crank because he
objects to her little Johnny playing
that the sofa is a bucking broncho he
is-fiding, thereby bringing down the
chandeliers on the sick mans bed,
Neither woman stops to consider
other peoples rights when they in
terfere with the pleasures of her
children. Neither one teaches her
lchildran-a1 consideratipnr 1orsothex