Evening star., 1921-01-17
D. + DEPARTMENT
OF WELFARE URGED
BY VICE PRESIDENT
Marshall Points Out Chaotic
Conditions in Charity
Laws to Senators.
SUBMITS BILL CODlFYlNG
STATUTES ON CHARITY
Proposes Department With a Board
of Five Members to Handle
All Work.

All Work.
The establishment. of a department
of public welfare in the government
of the District of Columbia, under
which all work of a charitable nature
would be co-ordinated, was urged
strongly upon the Senate District
committee today by Vice President
Marshall.
Appearing before the committee the
Vice President declared that chaotic
conditions are due to the fact that there
has been no codification of laws re-
Mating to charitable work here. He
paid before the committee a Dill
codifying these laws and providing
for the establishment of the proposed
welfare department., with board OF
five members at its head This board
would be appointed by the District
Commissi oners. the various boards re-
lating to charity now existing would
be abolished and their functions trans
ferred to the proposed new board.
Talks OF Child welfare Work.
II learned many things touching the
administration of charities and correc-
tions while governor of the state Of
Indiana" the Vice President told the
committee. During my incumbency Of
Indl Office MdESI1du DSCdLlC
ested in child welfare work and when
she came to Washington she took up
the same work here. This led to fire.
Quent consultations with we about con-
ditions in the District of Columbia.
81 discovered, for instance. that while
there are some good laws they are very
largely attached to appropriation bills
running from 1859 down to the present
time. So far as l could ascertain there
was only one person in Washington who
knew what the law was. Mr.. George H.
Wilson, and should he be removed by
death it would be necessary to read
n ese appropriation acts in order to
out what the law is.
The chaotic condition of these laws
will find reported by a select
1897. There is an excellent board
children's guardians. which was
Established in 1892. but 1t had little
authority or substance, and no de-
boards which have grown UP since
its establishuent. 'seqrs.
Finds Laws Were Chaafie.
THE finding Of the select commit
tee of the Senate and House in 1887
that the laws of the District were
chaotic resulted in the establishment
of board of charities. . general
with reference to the other public
agencies which have grown up since
1900 in a position marked by its own
practices and not by any legal defini-
tions.
.The penal farm. the reformatory
at. OccoQuan, the tuberculosis Hos
pital. the Home for the Aged and In
iirm and the Industrial Training
never been established by separate
a0 Of Congress. but have come about
Trough Incidental reference in ap-
opriation bills and are governed
discretion and not by law.
1t is to be admitted that valua-
beginning has been made in the
,enile Court law, in the provisions
a. probation system for police
criminal courts. in the child LABOR
and the non-support law. but It
needful to say that they are not
ordinated with the. other charities
Ia corrections in the District, nor
they comply with the best mod
thought and experience.
Prefers Government by Law.
IT am, myself. a nrm believer in the
rinciple that the world should be gov
med by law and not by discretion; that
he various activities which a govern
nent is compelled to assume should be
o-ordinated so as to prevent duplica-
ion of effort and work harmoniously
oward a common end. that common
END being the public welfare and that.
therefore. in the District of Columbia
NneSe various f1CliSltIcs SilOuiu Uc
branches of department of public
welfare. presided over by board of
Xcitizens interested in the public well
fare and who will give their time to
furthering it without compensation at
the hands OF the government. / am
knuite we'll aware that this may meet
with opposition at the hands of public
ficials and that it must run the CANT
Il of that strange human nature which
,sists that the thing which it is doing
Ill tor nd oil AL,
ers are merely secondary and incidental
Mistakes Pointed Out.
ct discovered through information
conveyed to me. for instance. that per-
sons are adjudged insane in this District
Through the process de inqurendo
lunatico. by jury. much as though
Ithey were criminals. when all Snodern
Thought is that they are sick people,
needing treatment.
''lllegitimacy is treated in the Dis
etrict as though II were a contract
between the mother and the puta-
missed by any payment of money,
however small. when modern thought
is that the child and public are the
parties in interest and that both
father and mother should be com
! pelled, to the extent of their ability,
10 support the child.
."There is no law regulating the
boarding of infants The absence of
such a law is little short of a crime
Instances can be produced of children
being fed upon sour milk. One in
stance came to my attention of a
three-year old child that chartered
like a monkey. Taken from it's un-
wholesome surroundings and put upon
nroper food ii developed into a normal
child.
There never has been any pro-
vision whatever for so-cailed feeble
minded. The recent appropriation bill
In the Senate provides for the pur-
chase OF a site, but there is no law,
if Congress ever erects the buildings,
10 say how persons are to be
admitted, how the institution is to
he managed or how they are to be
controlled. The last word in modern
he discharged until after they have
reached their second climacteric.
Congress Not unRener0us.
"I need not pursue this subject fur
ther Congress has not been un-
generous with the District In ap-
nropriations of money, but it has
been thoughtless with reference TO
the control of these institutions. and
has not been working toward the
ideal Of modern scientific methods in
| charities and corrections. That mes
| sage should be crystallized into a
motto. The object of all aid is not
only to alleviate, but to lessen, and. II
possible. prevent the recurrence for
it's necessity.
"As Illustrative, every alienist. be-
CONTINUED on Page ., Colunank5