The Washington times., 1922-07-11
.CHAR|T|ESHELD
AS MONSTER TO.
TRAP CHILDREN
Welfare Workers Preparing to
Launch Attack at Mass
Meeting Friday.

Picturing municipal charities as
a monster with tentacles of red tape.
seeking to envelop depend children
of the District In it's tolls, welfare
workers today began the preparation
Of q petition TO sumit to the mass
meeting, of the "gfve-the -child-a.
chance" movement, in the Interior
Department building, Nineteenth and
a streets, Friday.
This petition. II was said, will be
shown to the District Commission
efs when II has been, signed, but
will not be left with them. The Com
missioners. while trying to arbitrate
the differences between District citi-
zens and the. Board Of Children's
Guardians. have said their authority
in the matter is subject to many
Limitations.
/ May Go To white House.
The final disposition of the peti.
ton will remain a secret until the
meeting Friday. II has been vari-
ously guessed that the document will
go to the police judges who appoint
the guardians board. to Congress
and to the White House.
The petition. Il 10 expected, will he
presented to the meeting by Mrs.
L. M. Clements, chairman Of the Dis.
trict Mothers Committee. In addi-
! ton to the signatures of those who
will attend the meeting, representing
practically every important organi-
zation in Washington. the workers
viii endeavor to get additional sig.
natures by canvassing among local
associations interested In civic work.
A committee of mothers called
late yesterday afternoon upon Dan
lei e. Garges, secretary to the
Board of Commissioners, who Is
making an investigation at the
commissioners request, Of condi'
tons In homes used by the guard
ians' board to keep children COM
headed the committee.
Inquiry Called Farcical.
"I do not think the commission.
ers' Investigation will show any
thing new" Mrs. Clements said
today. ITO call the visits OF Mr..
Garges an investigation. when he is
accompanied by guides from the
Board OF Children's Guardians, bCr.
ders on the farcical.
"It is common knowledge among
the keepers OF these homes, or II
Ishould be, that an investigation Is
ibeing made. and they are prepared
to receive anyone. They are clean
ing house for the time being.
II told Mr.. Garges that II he
were expecting callers, he certainly
would see that his house was in
apple-pie order. How. then. can he
be said to be making an investiga'
ton? He told me that he had seen
certain homes against which com
plants were made some time ago
and that he considered them In
good shape to take care Of children
IT made special reference to the
Beard home at Herndon, Va. where
upwards OF twenty children from
the District once were kept, the
taxpayers here turning their money
over to Virginia for the children's
board. Mr.. Garges told me that
= there were only twelve children al
this home now, and the house could
accommodate more. ..... .. ..
"Sbow Places" Exhibited.
This investigation will do no good
The Board of Guardians, in the rol.
Of guide, Is, I believe, exhibiting q
| Mr.. Garges its show places. How
the Commissioners expect to get any
results out of this, I don't know"
As the guardians board furnished
! the Commissioners with full list o
| its paid homes In the District and ir
nearby Maryland and Virginia. wo
men welfare workers are puzzled II
accounting for the need Of guide.
Secretary Gsrges has inspected ap
proximately thirty homes out Of tn,
200 on the list given the Commission
ers, and Is expected to report on hi
findings by the end OF the week.
In the meantime, the Commission
ers are considering a joint meeting
between the trustees of the Wiscon
sin Avenue Industrial Home Schoo
and the Board of Children
Guardians. The trustees. In meet
ing yesterday. favored this move n
the only possible means to bring har
mony out Of the present division o
authority over children sent to th'
home school by the guardians
board. IL. ...-- .... ~
rhe Board of Guardians. which
operates under Federal statutes o.
more than twenty-five years stand
ing, holds that the law gives Il ful
control over. children committed I,
it's care by the Juvenile court. Tn,
boards attitude, throughout the en-
tire controversy, has been that tn,
law Is behind Il In everything 4
does, and interference Is not wei
come. ~
4