Evening star., 1922-08-07
WOULD Do JUSTICE
TO NAMELESS WA|F
National Conference Pro-
poses Uniform State Laws
for Legitimate Children.
TO FRIGHT CRUEL WRONG"
Recommendation to Legislatures.
Congress Asked to Apply Statute
to District of Columbia.
SnrciaI pisratch 10 Tie Star.

Spccial Dispatch to The Star.
SAN FRANCISCO. Calf, August 4.
An effort to obtain justice for the
nameless child is being made by the
national conference of commi sSionerS
on uniform state laws. in session
here as a preliminary to the meeting
of the American Bar Association.
Delegates representing thirty-one
states and the District of Columbia
are present.
Much time has been devoted to con-
sideriug a tentative draft OF law
giving uniform rights to illeSitlmate
.....,Iren, and, in its final form, this
law Will he recommended to the leg
i>IaturtS of th- "arious states. 1t
also will be RECOMMENDED to Con-
grcss to apply to the District OF Co
lumLia. Action is to he completed
At future sessions of the commits
sIonCrS.
Would Prevent Osiracism.
Fly This law its sponsors hope to
right one of the most cruel wrongs
inflicted under civilization. that of
uSrraCi2ing and depriVinS of natural
rights the child unfortunate enough
. t. lack the approval of conventional
society. 1t has been recognized mere
tofore that the illeGitimate child is
innocent of any wrongdoinS. but
there has been Il disposition in the
law to stick by the old command
nent that the sins of the father snail
be visited upon the children, even
unto the third and fourth generations.
The proposed new law ignores all
that and contains provisions which
will prove innovations in most OF
the states represented at the confer
euce. 1t makes the fathers estate
liable after death. 1t makes pro-
vision for payments to trustees, pro-
right to support and provides for the
elimination in probate proceedings
Of all unnecessary references TO the
lack of legitimacy. This latter mas
been one of the most cruel phases OF
exiStine law The vary harShneSS OF
The proceedings and the publicity at
tending the required proclamation OF
iIlegitimacy have deferred many
child from claiming rights which
should have been accorded him..
Objections to Law Heard.
Consideration of the new law has
not found the delegates in absolute
agreement by any means. some nave
objected to the underlying prlnciples
involved. Many have insisted thae
rbe claims of parentage be establish
cd before the death of the father
holding that to wait until after death
might lend an opportunity Tor "ide-
spread fraud on the part of unscru-
nrious mothers The establishment
Of narenthood. it is held. should pc
by judicial decree or holographic
declaration by the rather. as a pre-
requisite to a valid claim against MS
estate. ,-;; of
some mystery wells the origin OF
the nroposal to establish parenthood
after the death of the father, out
it is generally understood 10 nave
had its inception at an informal con-
ference held i'll Washington some
time ago. 49,,
IL is recognized here that the
United States has Jagged behind
E,urora in the establishment of en-
lichtened laws for dealing with IL
legitimacy 1t is also true that the
parentage of illeGitimate children
horn in certain European countries
is far above that of the United states.
hut the question has arisen as to
whether the birth rate would not be
higher and the percentage of criminal
operations less in this country II
laws protecting children born out of
wedIock were made more comprehen-
sive and human.
States Represented.
States represented at the confer
ence here are Arizona, Colorado, Con-
necticut. Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,
iowa. Kansas. Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland. Massachusetts, Michigan.
Minnesota, Missouri Nevada, North
Dakota. New York. Ohio. Oregon.
PENNSYLVANIA, Rhode Island. South
Dakota Tennessee. Texas, Utah,
Vermont Virginia. Washington, Wis
ecnsin and Wyoming.
Copyright 1927