The Washington herald., 1922-06-07
DC. COMMISSION
TO PROBE FARMING
OUT OF CHILDREN
Four More Placed in ''Se-
cret" Homes by Board
Of Guardians.
CITIZ EN- s PROTEST
Attorney Charges Third De-
gree" Torturing in House
of Detention.
CITIZENS PROTEST

Aroused py charges OF traffic In
children under the Board Of Children's 9
Guardians. the District Commission
ers yesterday announced that they
will investigate the activities OF the
board in farming out children to paid
homes instead of placing them In the
Industrial Home School. ,providkd for
that purpose
Commenting on the proposed in
yestigation. Commissioner Oyster YES
terday asserted that charges of se-
cret handling of the children and in
adequate accommodation In the homes
warrant a statement by the qua rdia ms.
I'VE want to know what It's all
about" he declared.
The Commissioners have asked the
corporation counsel to state whether
or not the board Is resposible TO them.
and II not, to what authority is Il
accountable. Complications in con-
troll of the board have made IL i'm
possible up to this time to determine
what body controls the guardians.
Four Children Removed.
-Four more children were removed
terday and placed with parties whose
names are held secret. Following
the announced policy of abandoning
the Wisconsin avenue institution by
July I. the guardians have reduced
the number of children at fhe Home
to less than forty.
The Board OF Cha arities will meet
at the Dfstlict Building today 10
receive a report by a special COM
mittee investigating homes to which
children have been sent by the Board
of Guardians.
Meanwhile civir bodies and WON
ems organizations. aroused by
charges Of moral laxity and child
slavery in homes TO which children
have been sent. are protesting the
closing the Wisconsin avenue home
and demanding a probe of charges.
Representatives Of the Georgetown
Citizens Association and of variou.
trade bodies were among those who
entered protest at the District Build
ing yesterday. The Congress OF
Mothers and Parent-Teachers' Asso
citation will meet today to determine
the secret policies OF the guardians.
Guardfans Indignant.
Informed that newspaper mer
and representatives OF civic bodies
here visited some of the homes
complained of. members of TIC
Board of Guardians yesterday ex-
pressed Indignation that such in.
vestigation were being made. Mem.
bers of the board refused to COM
ment on charges, or to explain why
homes u which children are sent
are kept secret
Charges of high handed and
arbitrary procedure" were made
against the Board of Guardians
yesterday by Alfred p. Thomas. at
toTney. who IL representing the
father of three children taken by
the board Thomas has brought
habeas corpus proceedings t. com
pei restitution of the children IL
:neir parents
Alleging third degree" gr.llinG
of the children Of Elmer F. Dwyer
2916 n street northwest. Thcmas
characterized actions of the Board
of Guardians as "outrageously ille'
gal. Prussianistic and high-handed.
Says Third Degree Given.
Dryers children. he declared
were taken from their father and
held without authority for hearins
before the Juvenile Court. Mr.
Thomas said the 1s-year-olC
Dwyer girl and her two youngei
brothers were tortured with 'thirC
degree" practices in an effort to hav,
them give evidence against theil
parents.
The little boys. separated from
their sister at night. he declared
were not allowed to sleep. but wer'
continually awakened by men rush
ing at them and dema nding tina
they admit charges against theii
father. Similar treatment, Thoma,
SAYS. was accorded the 16-year-olC
girl. although none of the childreI
accedcd to the demands. The 'thirc
degree" took place at the House Of
Detention while the children wer,
being held bv the Buard of Guar
dams Thomas asserts.
Thomas relates that the. Dwyer
girl. placed in one of the homes tC
which children are assigned by ths
Guardians. was forced to sleep witt
diseased girls, contracting the NAL
ady. Eleven girls, ranging in age
rom to l6 years, were at thi'
J. me. kept by Mrs. George Neal,
r2ll River road, Tenleytown. d. C
Escaped from Neal Home.
In December. 1921, the Dwyer gir
ran away from the Neal home ant
has not been apprehended by th'
Board of Guardians since.
The father of the girl declare.
. al. lapOhfar
without sufficient clothing. he wa