The Washington times., 1922-10-23
H()RR|FlED
BY ACT OF
HIS WIFE.
Expectant Mother Said She
Feared, Child Would Not Be
Properly Cared For.

LOS ANGELES, Cal, Oct. 20
stop my wife from giving
away our unborn baby!"
With this excited plea the father
rushed TO court, outraged at the
thought that his own flesh and
blood shculG be given away
given to an utter stranger, aye,
even before the mite was given
TO. the world at all!
And while this husband was
making his frantic plea, the wife
was lying precariously on a hos
pital bed, about to enter the
Valley of the Shadow df Death
to bring forth to life the infant
she had given away. ..
She loved children and was
proud to have them, she said,
but insisted thai her husband did
not adequately provide for the
two they already have, and she
feared that the same denial would
be inflicted upon the newborn.
Signs Away Right.
When she heard of the motion her
Injunction to prevent her from Civ.
ing away the unborn. she just smiled.
The news did not perturb her In the
least. because-
Already she had given away the
unborn, had signed papers purport'
ing to confer the right OF foster par
enthO0d upon q strange woman.
And the husband, Ralph Macchia,
as he sat in the Los Angeles court
listening to q plea made on 'behaif
of his wife, Marie, sat up stright,
very abruptly, Il nettled look over
spreading his ruddy countenance.
Ills baby, the precious unborn. al.
ready given away!
By what right. ~.
A Universal Problem. :
And there was the problemf-
vital and far-reaching problem with
q Los Angeles Judge to decide 1t
with wisdom that might penetrate
human affairs the world over. and
be passed down to the ages.
Who owns a child? The mother
exclusively The father? Or have
both, parents joint. equal title to the
whimpering newborn child?
Is there any, difference between
the ownership of child already
born and one yet unborn? Is the
unborn the sole property Of the
prospective mother because the, two
iives draw nourishrnent from the
same blood? | . Il.
or is it true that neither parent
ever owns the child, but that chill
dren are the property OF the body
politic-society at large--ands only
care and custody Of the children are
"a -
Is a minor child SLAYER
Judge Weighs Facts.
The Judge has a knotty problem,
indeed, 10 which he must apply the
fullness of his learning and wisdom.
and, therefore, he Is taking time 10
hunt precedents and carefully weigh
oil the facts.
Aside from the big, sweeping
human problem. there are some tech
nical legal ones. like the possibility
Of presenting some one from doing
what already has been done!
The husband and wife had not been
getting along well together for
several months. Finally, Mrs. Macchia
instructed her lawyer to bring suit
for divorce. on the grounds Of deser.
tion and non-support, the papers to
be Served on the day. the child is
born. Just why that day was select.
ed is a secret. but Mrs. Macchia' e
lawyer hints there was good reason,
indeed.
Mr.. Macchia denies the charges.
His lawyer said: =.
"Mr. Macchia is a wealthy ranch
or and produce merchant. He can
well afford to support his family and
always has done so. His wife, how
ever. in an yendeavor to obtain a
decreH has painted him as poor
provider. Let her try to prove It,"
Claims Equal Rights. '
The father asks for the custody OF
the two young children. but his wife
wants to Keep these herself. He
saws she even plans to give these
4 two away. Is II possible she doesn't
want the divorce papers filed before
the new baby is born because she
wants to implore the court to con
firm the strangers right to the in
FAINT?
Mrs. Macchia's lawyer, who hur'
ried to court to resist the husband {
plea for an injunction. admitted that
his cleint had given the unborn Ito q
certain wealthy woman"
Saws the husbands lawyer:
Mr.. Macchia takes the position
that, since he il the father Of the
child TO be born, he has an equal
claim with the mother"
|, Will Mr.. Macchia have to share
custody of the child with the
.'weaithy woman" he never saw-the
woman who has been paying all OF
~. ,.,tfo's exnenses at the hospital7