The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-19
Frederick Hask1n's Letter
,sn.es., Correspondence eft
THE TRAFFIC IN BABIES

better of in the hands of foste,
parents OF his OWL 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 our
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 thar
by giving away her baby she can
put him out of her life, that she
can forget that she aad ever been a
mother, but this is not true.
Presumably what has been 10
ing on in New York has been 60
ing on all over the country. and
the children who are placed through
newspaper advertisements are onlv
a small part of those who without
any legal procedure are passed
along from one individual TO an
other, on and on without any al
tempt to protect the interest OF the
child or the foster family, OF to
keep any record Of the childs iden-
tity.
This evil has fiourished especi-
ally during the last few years since
the demand for children for adOp-
ton has become so great-greater
than the supply, 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 con-
siderable profit to their parents.
A generation ago a woman was
looked at askance who had the
temerity to take into her heart and
home an unknown child. Many ar
guments were advanced against
such course, one favorite conten-
ton being that it was flying in the
face of Providence, that had the
Lord intended you to have a child
one would have been sent. Many g
woman carried an aching mothers
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
epidemic of adoption in the last
few years, and many a childless
home has been g&addened by the
entrance into it of one or more
children. Doubtless the fact of well
known people adopting children had
a great influence in making the
custom more widespread. Also
when an attractive child has been
placed in a locality other people in
that vicinity are stimulated to Sc
cure one.
Demand Exceeds Supply.
On the other hand. there has been
a great falling off in the number
of children available for adoption.
Just what has contributed to make
this so is difficult to say, but IN
doubtefIy the mothers pension bill
has much to do with it. Figures
show that 10000 children were car
ed 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 problematical, but all work
ers agree that prohibition played
large part in effecting this result
Mrs. Don C. Seitz, who finds
homes for children in New York
city, says that it has long since
ceased to be the point to find a
home for a child, but the object is
to find a child for the home offered
and pray for the wisdom of Solo
mon to decide which home is best
for the Child in question. This in
ability of the child-placing agen-
cies to supply the extraordinary
demand for Adaptable children has
evidently led impatient foster par
ents to turn elsewhere for assist
ance They see an advertisement,
fine baby boy. six months old,
good disposition" in the newsra-
per, and they rush after him, will
ing to pay a tidy sum and to avoid
all embarrassing questions con
corning the child's parentage. be
fore some other adopter comes
along and gets him.
More often tha- not, they them
selves are approached by parents
with hard luck story and a baby
they are willing TO relinquish for
a slight consideration. II is pos
sibIe that some of these parents
dispose of their children by such
methods only under the greatest
duress or in a spirit of noble self
sacrifice, but experience has shown
that this is seldom the case Usual
iy. it is the interest of the adults
alone which is considered-no the
welfare of the child.