Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-20
The HQSkin Letter .
By FREDERICK
J. HASKN
THE A F IN BABIES.

, Of the individual willing to adopt their
| offspring. On the other hand, he found
that the persons willing to adopt such
children exhibited surprisingly little
interest in the child's herdity or pre-
vious environment.
In one cast the State Charities Aid
Association was called upon by an &C.
centric bachelor who wanted to adopt
q little girl. The usual list of inter-
rogations revealed the fact that he had
no settled establishment and no pro-
spect of ever having one, that he was
unmarried and that he lived in almost
complete isolation, without communi.
cation with relatives or friends. These
circumstances, together with the mans
peculiar personality, led the Associa-
ton to refuse his application. Some
time later, he called again, triumphant
" displaying the photograph of a little
girl he had secured for adoption
through an advertisement. Two years
later the papers announced that the
child had been taken from him on the
ground of improper guardianship.
In another instance, a little white
boy was found living in the home of a
colored couple, who had secured him
through an advertisement. They had
given him the best of ARE and were de-
voted to him, but the city authorities
interviewed, believing that the child
would be better off in the hands of fos-
ter parents of. his own race.
The associations report goes on to
say that the mother of a baby who is
not wanted needs help-not help to
get rid of the baby quickly and easily,
but help in working out a plan which
will preserve or re-establish so far as
possible the self-respect of everyone
concerned. The mother needs to be
protected against herself. She may
think that by giving away her baby she
can put hi mout of her life, that she
can forget that she had ever been a
mother, but this is not true.
PRESUMABLY what has been going on
in New York has been going on all
over the country, and the children who
are placed through newspaper adver-
those who without any legal procedure
are passed along from one individual
to another, on and on without any at
tempt to protect the interest of the
child or the foster family, or to keep
any record of the child's identity.
This evil has flourished especially
during the past few years since the
demand for children for adoption has
become so great-greater than the sup
ply, in fact. AS in all cases of scarcity
there has been a rise in value, SO that
babies can now often be disposed of
at a considerable profit to their
parents.
4 generation ago a woman was
looked at askance who had the te1er-
ity to take into her heart and home
an unknown child. Many arguments
were advanced against such a course
n fs( prite contention being that it
was fling in the face of Providence,
that had the Lord intended you to
have q child one would have been sent.
Many a woman carried an aching moth
er's heart because she would not dare
criticism enough to bestow upon some
other woman's children the love she
hungered to give.
But there has been almost an cpl
demic of adoption in the last few
years, and many a childless home has
been gladdened by the entrance into
it of one or more children. Doubtless
the fact of well known people adopt
ing children had a great Influence m
the custom more widespread.
Also when an attractive child has been
in a locality other people in that
are stimulated to secure one.
Demand Exceeds Supply
On the other hand. there has been a
great falling off in the number of chill
dren available for adoption. Just what
has contributed TO make this so is diff
ficuIt to say. but undoubtedly The
mothers pension bill has much to do
with it. Figures show that 10000
children were cared for in their homes
in New York state by the aid of the
mothers pension who would otherwise
have become public charges. Whether
the high wages of the last few years
helped to bring about this fact is prob
Iematical, but all workers agree that
prohibition played a large part in eff
this result.
Mrs. Don c. Seitz, who finds homes
for children in New York City, says
it has long since ceased 10 be the
TO find a home for a child, but
the object is to find a child for the
offered aud pray for the wisdom
Of Solomon to decide which home is
best for the child in question. This
inability of the child placing agencies
10 supply the extraordinary demand
Adaptable children has evidently
ed impatient foster-parents to turn
elsewhere for assistance. They see an
advertisement "fine baby boy. six
months old, good disposition" in the
newspaper, and they rush after him,
to pay a tidy sum and to avoid
all embarrassing questions concerning
he child's p~arentage, before some
eager adopter comes along and
gets him.
More often than not, they them
are approached by parents with
hard luck story and a baby they are
to rtinquish for a slight con-
'ideration. 1t is possible that some of
hese parents dispose Of their children
" such methods only under the
duress or in a spirit of noble
'elf-sacrifice, but experience has
Ihown that this is seldom the case.
Usually, it is the interest of the
ldults alone which is considered-not
he welfare of the child.