Evening star., 1924-03-16
FINDS DESERTIONS
CAUSE OF MANY WOES
Non-Support by Husbands Charged
in Cases Before Associated
Charities.
~ FAMILIES ASSISTED
Service Rendered Is Shown in Tab
ulated Records.

Discretion and non support by hus-
| bands have caused much Of the do
| mestic distress brought to the atten-
| ton of the Associated Charities dur
ing the last several months, according
| cation. During the month OF January
| of the 377 families given friendly
| service and aid. 90 per cent were
j found to be the victims of desertion
| or non-support.
After relieving immediate distress
| temporarily the Associated Charities
| first tries to persuade the husband, if
! he can be found. to do his duty by
| his family. Failing in that the work
| ers turn to the courts to compel the
man to contribute a stipulated sum
each wee. although the latter proc
| a result of the Supreme Court decree
! ing that the Juvenile Court no longer
| has jurisdiction in such cases.
Indictment First Step.
| II Is first necessary to have the
delinquent husband indicted by the
grand jury. He must then be tried In
| the District Supreme Court because
| 1t is possible to sentence him to hard
] labor at Occoquan upon conviction.
AS result much delay results, and
| in the meantime his family is suffer.
| ing, dependent solely upon the AsSo-
I ciated Charities for help, in many
| cases. Ofttimes 1t keeps the charity
worker busy long hours to keep the
| needy ones from actual physical want
las private charity must keep the
! household together while the wheels
of justice plod their regular course.
Typical Case Cited.
| As typical example the Associated
| Charities cited the following case
| from it's records:
Last July Mr.. x deserted his fam
| lily. a wife and six children. They
were reported to US as being destf-
tute. When our visitor called she
found the family without food, hous-
! ing conditions were very bad and the
oldest son. sixteen years OF age. was
soiutely no income in the family.
Our visitor, unable to make an a1tust-
| 'pent out OF court, advised Mrs. x to
take legal action to force her hus-
DID, and three months later the case
| was called in court and Mr.. x was
| ordered to pay his wife $50 per
month.
ing the Associated Charities carried
| the family, found work for the son
and procured the cooperation of the
| real estate agent, who repaired the
house. Mr.. x. soon after the case
| came to our attention, lost his posi-
tion and our visitor, realizing that
| a court order to pay his wife $50 a
| month meant nothing unless the man
had work, talked to Mr.. KS employ
er. explained family conditions and
Mr.. x was given another chance. He
Is at present making good.
BenenciAl Results Seen.
Relief given this family certainly
helped them in their trouble. but did
1t alone help them out of it? 1t was
relief that kept this family together
| until the case was heard in court,
but 1t was service rendered by our
visitor that was responsible for i'm
proving housing conditions. getting
Mr.. KS job back for him and secur-
ing work for the son. At present all
Of the children OF school age are in
school and everything is going on
smoothly. The result Of service and
intelligent giving!"