The Washington times., 1923-02-17
DELAY On
PAREN Mt
COURT
House Committee Asks More
Data From Mothers-CrueIty
to Children Charged.

3@S 0H SASSUtAFS SESSION OF the
subcommittee which has been
conducting hearings on the Brook
hart-Free bill, establishing a
parental court in the District. it
was decided today to take no
definite action until further in
formation had been obtained from
the Board of Children's Guardians.
Seeks Data ON Mothers.
Another public hearing will be
held Monday morning at 10 o'clock
when agents Of the board have been
requested to bring records to the
committee showing how many moth.
ers have been denied access to their
children and a list of those who do
not know where their children are
now located.
Judge Willis Brown, former iuye.
nile court judge of Utah, appeared
as the principle witness today for
the proponents Of the measure. He
declared that he was not attacking
either Judge Kathryn Sellers, Of. the
juvenile Court. Or Mrs Ella West
OF the Board Of Children's Gardi-
ners. but was urging the passage of
the bill SO the District will have
laws harmoniaing with Federal
statutes soon to be passed.
Judge Brown. in UNFOLDING the
draft, which the committee il con-
sidering, answered the attacks made
against its provisions by stating
that it is identical with those In
corporated in the bill introduced by
Senator Brookhart to care for the
Federal situation.
Action on this has been delayed,
hM enf ~
passage of such a Federal measure
would conflict with the present laws
in the District.
1t was the purpose Of the BILL he
said, to make it possible for 100, 000,.
600 people Of the country to get i'm.
mediate necessary laws, and he did
not believe that this should be de-
layed because Of the 450, 900 residents
Of the District.
Charges Cruelty to Children.
Mrs. Blanche Winters declared
that the Board Of Children's Guard
ians would not produce at the hear.
ings certain children under their
care who she desired be heard by the
committee. She told Of instances
where twelve children were placed by
the Board in the custody Of one fam
lily, nine Of whom slept in one roam.
Another family, she said, cared for
twenty-five children, for which they
received 1920 a month. At a home
on River road, she declared, two
children, "farmed out" by the board,
were compelled to wait on a tuber-
cular patient.
Forty mothers, she said, had told
her they were afraid to appear be.
fore the committee because OF what
might happen to them IL the bill
failed Of passage and they would re.
main under the board for ten more
months"
Judge Sellers asked permission of
the committee to explain that she
had no knowledge Of the delegation
OF woman who waited on chairman
Focht In an effort to stop the hear
ings.
Her Name Wrongly Used.
Mrs. Walter r. Ufford, member of
the board, also denied that she had
any connection with the affair, al
though her name was mentioned an
being one Of the delegation.
Mrs. Vests request that the board
be permitted to file answers to the
charges made against 1t was opposed
by Congressman Blanton of Texas.
He said he wanted an open hearing
on the matters or nothing.
Chairman Walkers, of the subcom.
mittee, suggested to Mrs. West that
the board set aside certain DAYS and
hours when mothers with complaints
would be received and eliminate the
present method of making requests
by letter.
Mrs. West declared that the pub
licity which has been given the hear
ings has produced a bad effect on
the work Of the board and that it
will not be able to properly function
again for years to come.