Evening star., 1925-05-23
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL J. COLLINS.

the law from the point of view of saw
ing babies lives. One person ap-
proved the plan for the sake of the
babies health. but feared that in some
cases too great a burden might be i'm
posed on the mothers. A arge pro
portion spoke of the social benefit
which the child derives from being re-
tanned by the mother through the first
six months. In most instances the
contact extends to the mothers fam
lly and other relatives: their affection
ana interest are foStered. insuring to
the baby permanent home with his
own people-the people who are NOR
ally obligated for his protection and
care. The influence of the law In es-
tablishing the paternity was men
toned by several persons. I"
Results show a decrease in the mum.
her of foundlings-23 abandoned in
1916, Is in 1917 and only in 1929"
Contrast the attitude of American
sentiment toward developing parental
love for the baby and using that love
as lever in elevating society. with
the Soviet law forbiddinc its recogni-
ton or tolerance. In Russia all chill.
dren are "nationaliZed''-leg or
lllegitimate-and the plan is to take
them all from their parents and put
them into national institutions. All
are not yet so taken from parentel
contact, simply because of lack of ca
pacity to receive them: but if a mother
whose child is so taken visits it-as
she may once month-and there
dares show the least motherly love. or
tries to win the child's love even by
giving 1t fruit or candy, future con-
tact is forbidden.
X
There is no law in the District of
Columbia regulating the keeping of
mother and child together, nor is
there any law providing aid to mothers
with dependent children. The Chill
dren's Bureau of the Department of
Labor has been urging Congress to
meet the need of legislation for the
District, but action is delayed. The
Children's Bureau states that Wash
ington is the only large city in Amer
lea without mothers pension.
The policy of the Florence Critten.
ton Home is to require pledge from
expectant mothers entering the home
that they will remain and care for the
child six months after it's birth. but in
the absence of law this pledge is not
binding, except as a moral obligation.
When a mother needs to seek employ
ment she may leave the baby in the
home and pay its board, at S25 a
month. but this arrangement is not
encouraged, for the management fully
agrees with the Maryland plan of
keeping the baby under the direct care
of the mother during. at least. the first
six months, and uses all possible in
fluence to hold mother and child to-
gether permanently after the six
months abiding in the home is passed.
1t is argued that it is not only bene-
fetal to the child's health and welfare
to remain with its own mother, but 1t
is of great influence upon the future
course and character of the mother
for, in the words of Robert Browning,
womanliness means only motherhood:
All love begins and ends there-roams
enough,
But. having run the circle. rests at home
The local branch of the National
Children's Welfare League is planning
to hold a conference in Washington
next Thursday to discuss the prob
lens above outlined.
Copyright. 1928. by Paul v. Collins.)