Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-20
MOTHER Of FIVE
PLEADS FOR HELP
Family Needs $3.50 for Food
and Clothing During
Next Year.

Can any woman without skilled
trade earn enough money IN WASH
mgton to support five children?
She might do it in Summer when
there is no need of fuel. when ragged
clothing is not uncomfortabie, ana
when fruit and vegetables are conn
paratiyely cheap.
But in Winter, when the Wlhus
howl all night and cold bites through
even the thickest overcoat it's III
ferent matter The unskilled woman
can't command. at the best, much
more than what is considered pare
living wage for a single individual
A Heavy Burden.
Taking care of five children, OF
course. is a mighty hard job Tor any
woman, even if that is all she mas 10
do. Add to it the hopeless JOB OF
making a living for them and there
is a burden under when even the
strongest would break down.
one Washington woman has Just
ahout reached the breaking point. She
doesn't see how she can keep her fam
jlv together any longer, but she can
endure the suggestion that they be
placed in an orphan asylum. Inc oid-
est is Il and the youngest 6. The Old
est. a girl, can and does help with
the homework, but she can't bring IN
any money.
The mother is an excellent manager
and has managed to keep things go
ing thus far-although there have
been a good many hungry days.
This family's plight certainly comes
from no fault of the woman and her
children. The husband and father
has deserted them. lie needs all his
money, apparently, for the bootleg
gers. He doesn't particularly care
whether those who We're dependent
on him starve or surviVe-so long as
they leave him alone.
Fails to Obey Court.
The wife had him before court and
he was ordered to pay Sl2 week for
their support. This would have been
a great help-but he considered it an
injustice. The Judge who ordered II,
he felt, didn't know how exorbitant
The bootleggers were and how they
kept poor fellow strapped MOST CT
the time.
At anv rate. he left the courtroom
without the slightest intention of ever
having a cent and left town on the
first train. They are looking for him,
but the chance that they VIII 1nd
him is slim.
In order to keep her family together,
the woman needs at least SIS week,
o. $3.50 for the next year.
The Associated Charities are trying
to make sure that she gets IT for
Christmas. The case has been inves'
tigateG and the minimum budget pre-
pared.
Contributions may be sent to the
Associated Charities, 1922 Eleventh
street, and The Evening Star Will re-
ceive small donations.
This is only one of the II Christmas
opportunities offered this year, IL of
which remain open.
Only Two Are Closed.
The first $4,000 toward the $15,0S0
needed to keep body and SOUL to-
gether in the II Christmas opportuni.
ties of the Associated Charities was
reached this morning with total re-
ceipts of $4,104.90. Only two of the
opportunities, however, are yet closed,
and the social workers having the re-
manning IL families under their care
are watching anxiously the slowly
mounting sums credited to each as
Christmas draws near.
For every opportunity family it is
the custom to write weekly allowance
budget which has been worked out in
conference with the head of the fam
lily, usually the mother. who is encour-
aged to watch the markets, to take adj
vantage of any b argain sales of food
stuffs or items of clothing when needed
and in the matter of payment of rent
TO lay by each week enough from the
weekly allowance through the Penny
Provident Savings Fund of the Asso-
ciated Charities so that when the next
rent day comes around there Will be
accumulated savings to meet it.
The Columbia Typographical Union
at its meeting on Sunday last appro-
priated SIS to each of the opportunities
which remain untitled on Christmas
day. Probably no one would be hap
pier, however, than the union to learn
that all the families had been provided
for by that time. But with only five
days remaining and with less than
$1,000 received during the past "a
hours, giving will have to be speeded
up to provide the remaining Sl0,975.10
required to provide all-year-round
Christmas cheer for the u Opportuni
ties still open.
The II opportunities follow
OPPORTUNITY No. /.
Amount asked for, 1886. Closed.