The Washington times., 1936-10-15
LEGAL SNARLS
SEEN IN BABY
MARATHON
BY H. r. ARMSTRONG
Copyright, 1885, sy King Features
Syndicate, Inc

SCIloC VI 4luAAOAB WAASA AAS WANNA
the bulk Of his 100000 estate
to the mother who should give
birth to the most babies in Toronto
and have them registered
within the 10 years after his death.
But even the eccentric attorney
could hardly have guessed what
a headache his capriciouS bequest
would give the Ontario govern
ment as the now world-famouS
stork derby moves into the last
few weeks Of its already hectic
course.
One phrase in the will-those
two words duly registered"-iS
giving the Hon. Harry C. Nixon,
provincial secretary, plenty Of
sleeplesS nights. Scratching his
head he is thinking Of tossing the
whole registration squabble into
the laps Of the Ontario supreme
court
II Mr.. Nixon decides to let the
lawyers and judges worry over
Just what babies should and
should not be registered, he will
have to move fast, for the amaz-
ing race closes october 81. He ex'
plains:
"These mothers come in here
and say they are after the Millar
will money, and they want to
register children born long ago.
'Tf / had the wisdom of Sol
ONION I couldn't figure out the
answer. A woman brings in a
child and says This is my child.
/ want to register its birth.
Sometimes the children look
like the mother, sometimes they
don't. What am / going to do?"
with probably 100000 at
stake in this freak motherhood
contest, Mr.. Nixon IS taking no
chances on having some acqulsl'
tive mother slipping a fast one
over with the innocent aid OF On
tario vital statistics authorizes.
He added:
at have refused all applica-
tions to register births which
would affect the standing OF
Stork Derby entrants, unless
they are properly entered with
in 80 days. / want to see that
all Toronto mothers in the race
get a fair break, but I'm at my
wits end trying to figure out
how to do Justice"
Some mothers, says the worried
provincial secretary, claim they
inadvertently overlooked registra-
ton formalities at the time OF
the disputed birth.
Others aver they were too i'll
at the time to give the matter at
tention. Some admit they didn't
realize it was important to Of
ficially record the births.
Where births have not been
registered within 80 days their
registration, according to Ontario
law, is a matter Of absolute dis
erection on the part Of the provin'
cial secretary.
Another Ontario government
member who is beginning to wish
the stork derby were finishing
under some other administration
is the Hon. Arthur Roebuck, at
torney general.
It was Mr.. Roebuck who con-
ceived the plan Of making the IA
nous Dionne quintuplets the
wards Of the Ontario government.
Early in the baby race clergy.
men and other moralists poured
torrents of criticism on the be.
quest, and called on courts and
the government to nullify the out
landish will provisions.
Then into the race stepped
pretty red,haired Mrs. Clarke, five
Of whose children-including two
sets Of twins-were born long after
she and her husband had sep
arated.
Once again shocked individuals
sought the ear Of the government.
Now, at least, on ground Of public
policy, they felt the authorities
ought to step in and safeguard the
interests of those contestants
whose offspring had the undoubted
stamp of legitimacy.
Said Mr.. Roebuck, just returned
from winning a privy council de.
cision in England, attending the
unwilling Of Canada'S Vimy Me-
mortal in France, and shaking
the hand of the British Empires
new sovereign, King Edward VIII:
ut is not for this government,
but for the courts to decide the
eligibility of any mother. The
MilIar will money is being ad-
ministered by the court now. The
executors of the late Charles
Vance Millar are officers of the
court. 1t is their duty to handle
the funds according to law and
the terms of the wilI-under SUI
pervisiOn Of the court"
The attorney general realizes
full we'll that government interven-
ton would be bound to arouse Q
lot Of pickering, dissatisfaction
and accusations Of favoritiSm. So
he has advised his colleagues to
keep their fingers out Of the Ma
ternity Marathon pie.
He adds:
There 10 nothing in the will
rendering mothers with illegiti.
mate children ineligible"
If registration Of premature
births at earlier than % weeks is
ordered by the courts. the StorH
derby box score, already shaken
around by recent developments,
may get another shuttle.
VOTE AMERIoAh-
Committee Helps