serted wives from the benefits of the act and increased the residential requirements from one to three years. The amendment adopted in Pennsylvania provided for State supervision of the work of the county boards of trustees through a State supervisor of mothers' pensions in the State board of education. Other changes made benefited additional groups of mothers in Idaho and Michigan and increased the amount of aid possible for the families in Illinois and Wisconsin. In two States, Florida and Indiana,' provision was made for commissions to investigate the subject of mothers' pensions.

Only one State, Maryland, adopted a mothers' aid law in 1916. Much dissatisfaction was felt by the friends of this measure because the provision for a special board of mothers' relief for Baltimore was amended in the Senate to permit the mayor and city council of Baltimore to devolve the duties of such board upon the supervisor of city charities. Action to this end was taken in November. In the meanwhile, the omission of the words "on the dollar" in the tax provision, as well as other ambiguities, led the city solicitor of Baltimore to give an opinion to the city that the law was not valid. Suit was brought against the city to test its validity but has not been pressed. In New York, in the same year, the child welfare law of 1915 was so amended as to eliminate the commissioner of public charities from the Board of Child Welfare in New York City, in order, as it was declared, to remove "the taint of poverty " from the administration of the aid to mothers.

In 1917, governors' messages brought mothers' pensions to the attention of the State legislatures of Colorado, Kansas, Maine, and Washington. The legislative activity of the same year added Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Maine, Texas, and Vermont to the list of States which had provided in some form for the care of dependent children in their own homes. In addition, the State-wide law for Missouri drafted by the children's code commission of that State was passed without change. This act did not disturb the existing arrangements already described for granting aid in Jackson County and in the city of St. Louis. Revisions of existing laws were made in Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, and West Virginia. The revised law of Minnesota, drafted by the Minnesota Child-Welfare Commission, provided for supervision by the State board of control, for State aid to the extent of one-third the amount expended by the counties, and for assistance in administering the aid from the county boards of child welfare created by another act. In Wisconsin, also, provision was made for county boards of child welfare to assist the juvenile court judges in administering the law. Amendments raising the age limits of the

1 Commission never appointed in Indiana.

2 New law to take place of act declared unconstitutional in 1916.

children who might be aided were made in California, Iowa, Minnesota, and Montana, while other amendments increased the maximum allowance per child in Minnesota, Montana, and Nevada.

In 1918 only one new law was adopted, that of Virginia, but in 1919 mothers' pension laws were again under consideration in a number of States. Laws were adopted for the first time in Connecticut, Florida, and Hawaii, while in Indiana an amendment was made to the board of children's guardians law definitely authorizing the county boards to board with their own mothers the dependent children committed to the care of the board by the juvenile courts. Agitation in Indiana for a mothers' pension law, similar to those of other States, had been met with the claim that the boards of children's guardians already had the necessary power to aid mothers to care for their own children. Complete revision of existing laws were made in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Utah, and amendments adopted in a number of other States. The new Pennsylvania law provided more liberal grants for the children, including now unborn children, and made the residence requirements less rigid; that of Utah transferred the authority to grant aid from the juvenile court in Salt Lake City to the county commissioners. Amendments in Illinois and Ohio increased the amount of the special taxes which might be levied to provide funds for paying allowances, while in Colorado a supplementary act passed which had the same purpose. The amount of State aid was increased from $75 to $120 a year in California, and additional powers of supervision were given to the State board of control. Increased allowances were made also in Delaware, and the age limit of the children was raised in Maine, South Dakota, and Utah. In Washington any mother with dependent children was made eligible for aid.

By the close of the legislative sessions of 1919 " mothers' pension laws had been adopted in 39 States and in the territories of Alaska and Hawaii. In the remaining nine States-all of which, with the exception of Rhode Island, lie in the South-bills have been under consideration in at least five. In North Carolina a law adopted in 1919 provides for aid not exceeding $10 a month to enable indigent children to attend school. It is limited, however, to children of school age, and since it applies to these only during the compulsory school term it can not, therefore, be properly regarded as a "mothers' pension" law.

SUMMARY OF THE LAWS OF THE VARIOUS STATES.

The purpose underlying all these laws is that of preventing the breaking-up of the home when, on account of death or disability, the support of the natural breadwinner of the family is removed. But

the methods adopted to secure this end vary widely in the different States, as will be seen in the following summary of the laws:

PERSONS TO WHOM AID MAY BE GIVEN.

The law applies to any parent who on account of poverty is unable to care properly for a dependent or neglected child in Colorado; to a mother or a female relative who is guardian of the child in Florida; to a mother, stepmother, or grandmother in Minnesota; to a mother, grandparent, or person having custody of the child in Wisconsin. In other States the law applies only to mothers. In a few of the States-Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Washington-any mother with dependent children may be given aid. In Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Utah, and Virginia the mother must be a widow in order to receive the benefits of the act. In the remaining States not only widows but the following other classes of mothers with dependent children are included: Mothers whose husbands are prisoners in Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee (in counties covered by 1919 law), West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; mothers whose husbands are in State asylums for insane or feebleminded in Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia; mothers whose husbands are totally incapacitated, physically or mentally, in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee (in counties covered by 1915 law), West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; deserted wives in Arkansas (if permanently deserted), Delaware, Florida (if husband has been prosecuted for desertion and adjudicated unable to support family), Hawaii, Kansas (if deserted for three months), Maine (if deserted for one year, and proceedings instituted), Michigan, Minnesota (if deserted for one year, and proceedings instituted), Missouri (except Jackson County and St. Louis), Nebraska, Nevada (if deserted for one year), Ohio (if deserted for three years), Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin (if deserted for six months), and Wyoming (if deserted for one year); divorced wives in Alaska, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri (except Jackson County and St. Louis), Nebraska, and South Dakota (after one year if divorce is granted in State). In Hawaii, Michigan, and Nebraska, unmarried mothers are specifically included, but aid may also be given this group of mothers in the States providing aid for "any"

mother, if the administrative agency so determines.1 In Colorado, Missouri (except Jackson County and St. Louis), and Pennsylvania aid may be given expectant mothers, but this is limited in Missouri to three weeks before and three weeks after childbirth, and in Pennsylvania to expectant mothers eligible for aid on account of one or more living children.

CONDITIONS ON WHICH AID IS GIVEN.

Degree of poverty.-The condition of receiving aid under these laws is uniformly that of poverty, with certain definitions added in some of the laws. In Washington the mother must, by reason of destitution, insufficient property or income, or lack of earning capacity, be unable to support her children; in Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Utah she must be dependent upon her own efforts for support, with the added provision in Oregon that she must prove that she was not in indigent circumstances when she came into the State, and in Utah that she had not received support from public funds within one year before taking up residence in the county in which application is made; in Delaware she must be unable, without aid, to support, maintain, and educate her children. In Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming the aid must be necessary to save the child from neglect or prevent the breaking up of the home; in Kansas, New Jersey, and Virginia, to prevent the child from becoming a public charge; in New York, from having to be cared for in an institutional home: In Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, and West Virginia, the mother may not own real property or personal property other than household goods, except that in Illinois she may be the holder of a homestead under the exemption laws of the State or be entitled to dower rights in real estate of which the market value does not exceed $1,000. In Minnesota and Wisconsin she may own a homestead if the rental does not exceed the amount which the family would have to pay for living quarters; in Oregon, if it does not exceed $500 in value. In Minnesota the mother may be allowed also personal property under $100 in value in addition to appropriate clothing and household goods, and such tools, implements, and domestic animals, as in the judgment of the court it is expedient to retain for the purpose of reducing the expense or increasing the income of the family.

Home conditions.-In most of the laws the requirement is made that the mother is a fit person, morally and physically, to bring up her children and that it is for the welfare of the child to remain at

1 For statement of policy of Massachusetts State Board of Charity, regarding allowances for children born out of wedlock, see page 101 of text.

home. In Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming it is made conditional that the child or children be living with the mother and that she shall not work regularly away from home. In South Dakota she may not be absent for work more than one day a week; in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wyoming the amount of time is left to the discretion of the administrative agency.

Residence and citizenship.-In South Dakota and Wisconsin (in counties under 300,000 population, six months' residence in the county and one year in the State is required. In Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri (except Jackson County and St. Louis), Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming (in counties of 300,000 or over population) one year's residence in the county is required, combined in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee (in counties covered by 1915 law) with two years' residence in the State; in Oregon and Washington, with three years' residence in the State, and in Florida with four years' residence in the State. In California (unless the child is born in State), Idaho, Kansas, Missouri (Jackson County), Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee (in counties covered by 1919 law), and Utah two years' residence in the county is required, combined in Virginia with three years' residence in the State and in Texas with five years' residence in the State. In Illinois and Maryland three years' residence in the county is required, combined in West Virginia with five years' residence in the State.

New Jersey requires a residence of five years in the county. A few of the States require only State residence-two years in New Hampshire; three years in Delaware and Massachusetts; residence with no legal settlement elsewhere in Connecticut; legal settlement or five years' residence in Maine. In Arizona, Illinois, New York, and Wyoming the husband must have been a resident of the State at the time of his death or when he became incapacitated. In Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, New York, Oregon, Tennessee (in counties covered by 1919 act), and West Virginia the applicant must be a citizen of the United States; in Minnesota she must be a citizen, or she or her husband must have made declaration of intention to become a citizen; in Illinois, though not a citizen, the mother may be given aid for her American-born children if she has made application for citizenship papers or declared her intention to become a citizen.

Other conditions.-Several of the States have made other special conditions. Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin require the mother to make monthly reports to the court or commissioners. Oregon does