The Washington times., 1922-06-27
PRESIDENT
GETS PLEA
OF WOMEN
Mothers Garry Fight Against
Board of Guardians to
| White House

White House
President Harding today will
receive from Secretary George B.
Christian a collection of newspa-
per clippings, typewriter reports
and miscellaneous data on the
campaign of District citizens
against the Board of Children's
Guardians, with a view to taking
a0tion concerning the continuance
of the Wisconsin Avenue Indus
trial Home School as a receiving
home for dependent Washington
children.
White House Interested"
"The White House is intensely in
terested in everything concerning the
welfare of children" Assistant Sec
retary George E. Hard told a dele
cation Of mothers who called at the
executive offices yesterday after.
noon.
Mr.. Hard received from the moth
ers the printed matter and notations
for reference to the President.
The action Of the mothers was
direct result of a conference between
Mrs. L. M. Clements, prominent in
the school-saving campaign, and
George 8. Wilson, secretary Of the
Board OF Charities.
when 1 brought the matter OF
the home school to Mr.. Wilson,"
Mrs. Clements said. ''he first advised
me to show him evidence that the
Board of Children's Guardians was
farming out children from the school.
When l brought affidavits and other
n him ha raflIpnd
10 look at them.
Up To President.
He advised me to see the Attor-
,ey General. Then, when l said !
would do SO, he told me that seeing
dr. Daugherty would do no good
hat l would have to bring the at
air to the attention Of the President.
I have done 80"
Mrs. Clements is particular incens.
ed over the fact that, through the
Juvenile Court, the Board Of Chill
dren's Guardians is taking from
mothers babies in arms, and children
under eight years old
"I am going to investigate the
right Of the Juvenile Court to turn
over these children to the board,
Mrs Clements said. II did some re-
search work recently in connection
with juvenile court laws and found
that they had jurisdiction over
children only between the ages OF
eight and seventeen. know OF
several cases, however. In which
babies were literally snatched from
their mothers arms.
"If, however. this latter law is on
the statute books. 1t should be
wiped off. / don't see how any
attrh q laW
The further go into the case, the
more / see the city of Washington
as a whited sepulchre.
when we began this fight, tine
board Of guardians probably thought
the storm would soon blow over.
This storm is not going to blow
over. We will fight to the bitter
end"
Drive Against Child Traffic.
The women's Christian Temper
ance Union, which has pledged it's
efforts to help Washington children
in cooperation with the Congress Of
Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associa-
tions, today was Joined by the Young
Women's Christian Association. Other
important agencies have volunteered
their services to abolish child traf.
fic in Washington.
MrS. Giles Scott Rafter. president
Of the mothers organization, and
Mrs. f. ]. Brennan. chairman Of the
citizens committee investigating
paid childrens' homes of the guard
ians' board, will meet today to pre-.
pare the bill giving the Commits
sioners power Of appointment and
supervision over the various charit.
able agencies of the District gov
ernment.
Mrs. Brennan, in an effort to get
the guardian boards side of the
story, asked w, w. MILAN, president
Of the board. why his organization
was not fulfilling its obligations In
regard to the proper inspection OF
children's homes.
t"Mr. MILAN told me that the
women Of the board were far too busy
to make these Investigations" said
Mrs. Brennan. His attitude was
distinctly against cooperation,
ut is plain that the board Of
guardians has not done it's duty
to the children or to the general pub
lie. l believe it is the duty of the
board members to resign"
Mrs. Ella II. West, agent Of the
board. Is still out Of town. She left
several days ago, when affairs
reached a crisis and her office was
besieged by mothers demanding the
return Of their children, and indi.
viduals who called to criticize the
work OF her organization.