The Washington herald., 1922-06-05
Will Visit Commissioners
Today and Protest Its
Abolition July 1.
CHARGES OF CHILD
SLAVERY ARE MADE
Board of Guardians At
tackled for Secrecy Sur
rounding Wards.

National Women's Party, the Con-
gress of Mothers. Prent-Teacher
Associations and various citizens
associations.
The delegation will also present
charges ( child slavery and traffic
in orphans of Washington, and
charges of secret methods in hand
ling wards OF the city, made
against the Board of Children's
Guardians, District agency in
charge of homeless children, by
Mrs. l.. NJ. Clements OF Congress
Hall hotel.
a The charges were made against
the board at an indignation meet
ing held Saturday at the Harring-
ton Hotel. Accusations were made
that girls are taken from the In
dustrial Home School and placed in
private homes where they are sub
jected to immoral influences, and
that the so-called "homes" are not
homes at all. but are small un-
equipped institutions operated by
persons more interested in board
money" than in children. One case
was cited where a girl of 13 years
was forced to sleep in a room with
two boys.
Ordered Closed July /.
The school has been ordered
closed July 1, because the children
who were being trained there nave
been removed by the Board OF
Guardians and "farmed out" to un.
disclosed private homes"
Members of the Board of Guard.
ians are appointed by the Com.
missioners of the District
The school, under direction oi
the board. is maintained by Con-
sressional appropriation.
Money paid to the private
homes" to which children are sent
is said to come from District funds
More than two hundred children
have been removed from the In.
dustrial Home School within the
last year and have been placed
with private individuals. 1t is al
legged by officials of the school.
Place of Removal Kept secret.
Children are removed from the
school upon order of the Board OF
Guardians, and the place of re-
moval Is kept secret by this body
neither the superintendent OF the
school nor parents of the children
are notified where they are sent
it is declared.
Members of the Board of Guard
ians yesterday refused to answer
any questions concerning the
charges, neither would the indicate
the reasons for secrecy in remov-
ing children from the school.
Although the Industrial Home
School is equipped to accommodate te
approximately three hundred child
rem there are less than fifty in the
institution at this time.
Forced Into slavery.
That children taken from the in
stitution and "farmed out" to priv
ate homes are forced into a state
of slavery. whereby they do wash
ing, ironing, scrubbing, farming
and mental labor are the charges
of Mrs. Clements. Besides labor
performed by the children, the
Board 4 Guardians is said to nav
from twenty to thirty dollars per
month to the people who run the
homes. In a number of cases,
it is charged that boys and girls
have been ''farmed out" together
and have been forced to sleep in
the same rooms, three in a bed,
In letter addressed to John J.
Edison, president of the Board of
Charities. Mrs. Clements cites spe-
cific cases of deplorable conditions
into which children from the school
are sent when EARNED OUT. and
asks that an immediate investiga-
tion be conducted.
1t was learned that citizens who
have taken an interest in several
of the cases have placed them in
the hands of an attorney who will
bring proceedings against the
Board to compel restoration Of the
children to their parents. One of
the case was investigated by Mrs.
E. G. Brennan, wife of the manager
of the Harrington Hotel, upon the
request of Miss Alice Paul, of the
National Woman's Party.
Present Address Refused.
Due to the refusal of the Board
of Guardians to divulge places to
which the children are sent only a
few cases have been brought TO
light, Mrs. Clements pointed out.
These are cases in which parents
have attempted to secure return of
their children. An investigation
will be made to determine the liv-
ing conditions of orphans. provided
their addresses can be obtained
from the Board of Guardians
Several weeks ago the Board was
presented with a list of names OF
children who have been removed
from the Industrial Home, with the
request that their present addresses
be made known. This was refused.
1t is stated.
B. A. Bowles, cashier of the Po-
tomac Savings Bank. and member
of the Georgetown Citizens Asso-
citation, stated yesterday that while
visiting the school several weeks
ago a 14-year-old girl was removed
upon verbal order of the board of
guardians.
Begged Them to Keep Her.
The superintendent was not told
where the child was being taken"
Mr.. Bowles related. "All we could
learn was that she was being sent
into the country. The girl cried and
begged them not to send her away.
but she was taken and has not been
heard from since"
The latest child to be removed
from the home was taken away
Saturday. He is Charles Neill, a
15-year-old boy. Upon instruction
Contineed On Page seeen.