South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-05
BIZ CHARLES p BUTTERwORTH

hie a lawsuit 20 recover the money
she had spent for rearing and edU-
eating her son. as a mother has
done in Nebraska. a jury composed
OF le South Bend men and women
interviewed last week would re-
turn a verdict for the defendant;
that the mother could not place a
monetary value upon her efforts
II children should pay their
parents FOR rearing them. how much
would 10 be WORTH How much Is
a worth 90 rear a child, feed him.
mould his character and generally
RI him for LIES battles
a mother has started a law suit In
Beatrice. Neb.. one or the most re-
rnarkable cases filed IN the history
of American courts. over the money
she had spent and time she had
wasted fitting her son for lies
struggle
Considers Efforts I'm Vain.
This mother had carefully taken
care OF her son since clrth. had seen
10 Il that ne mad on his half-socks
and Buster Brown collar when he
attending birthday parties and
made the mistake. she apparently
believes, Of seeing that he received
4 good education
After her duuful training she now
finds fault with the result and has
hled suit IN court against her own
flesh and blood asking for $4,000
for clothing. food and care from his
birth until he reached manhood.
The case - BrOoksfield VS..
Brooksheid ct al.
Because her son has been keen
disappointment she asked 20 be paid
for raising him in Nebraska. where
ell I'd heard they raise Is corn Her
case has been filed recently and al
though I know not the result,
thought II best 20 find out how this
woman would fare in South Bend.
Tried Before Mixed Jury Here.
Today. ] haze the honor 10 pre-
sent the first mixed jury 90 try
a case IN ST. Joseph county They
will return their verdict on wheth-
ar this Nebraska mother should
have $4,000 paid TO her by her
son.
Jurvwoman No. I. Mrs Harry
wallace. president OF the South Bend
v-oman's club. expressed the opin-
ion that u Is the parents duty to
rear their children as carefully a.
possible and not think OF being paid
for it.
Juryman Dad" Colson. director
Of religious activities at the Y. NJ.
G. a. said the debt should be paid.
but the only way Il could be paid,
he added. Is 10 pay it to the next
generation.
"By paying to your children what
YOU have received from your own
parents you even up the debt Mr..
Colsor said. The debt YOU owe
your parents can only be paid BY
fulfilling like obligations to your
own children"
Rev. L. s. Davis. castor Of First
BAPTIST church. the third member
OF the jury, declared the belief
parents are responsible by common
law to furnish clothing food and
care OF their children 70 certain
age o. understanding.
Love Is Compensation.
Miss Alma Collmer. secretary OF
the Red cross. second juryNvoman.
said most parents would be insult
ed by the suggestion Of being paid
for rearing their youngsters except
TO be compensated BY respect and
devotion.
The fifth person impaneied on this
jury is Father Leo Hizer. C.. 5. G..
Notre Dame university. Father
Hizer said parents have no right 20
expect pay for caring for their chill
dren except I'm certain cases where
a child reaches the age Of II and
the parent already i'm need, pro-
vides a home for the child
Or. &. q. Crumpackcr. coroner.
selected for jury service. was asked
the question whether the parent
should be paid His verdict was
brief and positive: Absolutely no."
Col c. Seymour Bullock. munici-
pal recreational director. went the
opposite extreme in the length OF
his hnding but was just as positive
in his opinion.
The distance any man has trav-
eled up from the brute" Col. Bull
lock said. lis best measured BY the
value he puts upon the 'intangibles.'
IL is the anEibles-the things that
cannot be expressed IN terms OF gold
and silver-wlth which children pay
their expenses as they go along.
There was a little fellow once
who looked into our home. smiled
and then went away again. For
many summers the flowers have
nung their Lerfume as incense over
the mound that marks the spot
wir@re We laid 20 rest the little part
~ him that was mortal The birds
eng there as though 90 remind us
og our sadness-of what his coming
meant 90 US in gladness and enrich
ment Can anyone place a monetary
value upon such a heritage
Arc Parents Dcbt-F'ree?
But allowing that there Is
monetary expenditure for which a
parent may ask 20 be reimbursed. IS
there not an earlier question as 90
whether any boys parents have ever
paid in full the debt they owed 10
their own parents Is there any
other way by which one can pay his
debt 10 the past than by serving the
future-giving unasked as he re-
eejved unasked those things that
Rave entered into his life?
7 confess. too. that / am puzzled
a little as 20 whether any one should
be asked 20 pay for anything in the
choosing OF which he has no voice.
j mean by this that a child Is not
here by his own voliuon and n his
parents are solely responsible for
his being here. they are Justly
chargeable for any expense that may
De involved in his nurture and care.
n. I