The Omaha guide., 1945-09-22

Tou4n
RmoAza
in WASHINGTON
By Wolter Sheod
/ WNU Correspondent



many children have become wards
as a result Of var casualties? SO
important are questions raised by
these two factors, the children's bu-
e of the department Of labor Is
undertaking a nationwide survey.
According to records of the vet
Grams administration alone, minor
wards under guardianship of the ad-
ministration will reach approximate
~ 10000. Already the veterans
administration has 10000 minor
wards under guardianship as result
of World War /. In addition, Uncle
Sam has underwritten the cost of
babies to service men, which has
already cost more than $119, 900, 600
for about 100000 babies and another
100000 who are on the way. This
money is being used to pay for ma
ternity care, nursing and hospital
care for these infants of men in the
armed forces. This government aid
is available to wives and infants of
men in the four lowest pay grades
In the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and
Marine Corps. The average cost is
less than 500.
The records show that, proper
t1onately, the small-town and rural
areas have the largest number of
babies and that, as is true in every
wartime period, the boys outnumber
the girls, the proportion being about
10Y boys to 100 girls.
The children's bureau has deter
mined that present guardianship
laws are archaic" and that "many
children under guardianship are be-
ing cheated out of their inheritance
and income"
Model Statutes Planned.
The children's bureau is also on
cerned with thousands of children
under guardianship who are receiv-
ing survivors, benefits under old age
and survivors, insurance as part of
the social security program.
1t Is apparent that if there is to
be any great change or liberalization
OF the guardianship laws, it must
start in the state legislatures, since
the state, under our system Of gov
eminent, has the responsibility for
the welfare of children. 1t will be
the purpose of the children's bureau
to draw up model laws seeking more
protection for these minor wards and
present them to the various states
for adoption, or for recodifying Of
existing statutes.
The National Commission for Chill
dren in Wartime, which is made up
of outstanding men and women
working in the child welfare and
youth field, including representa-
tives of labor unions and farm or
CARNATIONS, has just completed a.
years study which is in line with
this move of the children's bureau.
1t recommends a student aid pro-
gram written under the experience
gained in the administration of edu-
cational benefits Of the CT bill Of
rights to reach children at high
school levels.
The commissions report In
cluded proposals for study Of a
f%our-point program: ~ job
placement services to assist
young people In employment;
(2) w~ork-school programs to pro-
vide to young people opportu-
nifty to combine work and school;
(3) employment Of youth on pub
lie service projects (simiIar
probably to work done under
the National Youth Administra-
tion program) and (4) skilled
counseling services with empha-
sis on the special need of those
young people during the recon-
version period.
In commenting on the children's
bureau plan to move in" on the
guardianship situation, Miss Mary
Stanton, consultant on guardian
ships, said:
Laws Out Of O-te.
The laws under which we are
trying to operate 10Y were written
at a time when judges knew every
one In their communities and pre-
sumably knew something of the fit
ness of the prospective guardians.
Neighbors, too, exercised nee
Today it is obviously impossible for
courts to know what is happening
to all children for whom they have
responsibility. A probate court in a
large county may have several thou
sand child guardianship cases In a
year. The smaller and rural COM
munities likewise cannot exercise
the individual concern that it once
did. Even If neighbors know Of
irregularities, which would not be
likely, they would hesitate to inter-
fere unless the abuse of the child
was fragrant"
1t is pointed out that veterans or
CARNATIONS, such as the American
Legion and the Veterans Of Foreign
Wars, have succeeded In getting a
large measure of protection for the
property of those entitled to benefits
under veterans compensation, but
even for those children there Is a
lack of protection under the limita-
tons which safeguard their personal
welfare and others, children Of non
veterans, have even less protection.
The only way, the bureau points out,
for better protection for more than
a million children, is review and re
and denomination of the laws.