Evening star., 1926-04-21
Socialist Doctrine.

A so-called mass meeting will be
OF citizens committee for mothers
pensions for the District of Columbia, -
at which it is expected arguments will
be made for the adoption by Congress
of that particular form OF measure
granting aid to mothers and depend
ent children which has been spon-
sored by representatives. of a national
organization interested in this gen
eral scheme. While it may be at
tended by representatives of local or
ganizations and by WashingtonianS
interested in securing q satisfactory
mothers pension law, it is doubtful
whether they will voice approval Of
the particular measure the promo
ton of which is sought. For there is
a fundamental difference between the
measure which the people of Wash
ington desire and that which is urged
by other influences.
The bill which the District Commis-
sioners sent to Congress at the begin
ming Of the session with the indorse-
ment of the public welfare commits
sion which they had created to work
out a series Of legislative propositions
for public welfare in the District pro-
vides for d system of aid to dependent
mothers and children administered by
an already existing agancy. When the
bill was framed the public welfare
board. creation Of which was one Of
the commissions proposal, had not yet
been established. It has since been
authorized by an enactment. absorbing
the board of charities and the board
of children's guardians. Under the
Commissioners bill this board would
administer the system of mothers pen
si0ns. The New York bill" as 1t has
been called for identification. differs
materially in that it provides for the
administration of the system OF
mothers pensions by a separate body.
There is no occasion whatever for
the establishment of new agency,
present trend of law is for the con-
solidation of all public welfare agen-
cies. Objection is raised to the ad-
ministration Of the mothers aid law
by the board Of public welfare on the
ground that such a dispensing Of as
sistance savors of charity. This Is
supported by the assertion that the
grant of assistance to dependent
mothers and children is not charity,
but is a recognition Of a natural in
herent right. To this the advocates
Of the Commissioners bill demur
Thus there is a practical objection
to the New York bill" in that it Gre
ates a needless agency, involving addi-
tional cost, inescapably leading to con-
fiicts Of jurisdictions and overlapping
in administration. There is also an
objection to the principle involved In
the measure. 1t was this principle
of the natural right" Of the mothers
pension system that undoubtedly led
to the following declaration Of support
when on the 8th of February, 1925.
the so-called compromise bill, which
was simply the New York bill slightly
disguised, was under consideration.
Mr.. Begg of Ohio was speaking in
favor of the Commissioners bill. Mr..
Berger Of Wisconsin interposed to say:
Mr.. Berger-The Socialist party will
vote for this bill because
Mr.. Begg-Because you can't get
what you want.
Mr.. Berger-Because it is in the
socialistic direction, but 1t is a milk
and-water bill. The best we can get,
however.
And that is precisely one Of the rea-
sons why the people Of the District,
united on this matter as rarely in the
past, are opposed to the New York
substitute and ask for the enact
ment of the Commissioners bill which
the Senate committee on the District
has favorably reported as a substitute
for that which the House passed.