AllMovie

Early in 1915, the New York state legislature was considering a bill to give a pension to widowed mothers. A number of films were made during this time which favored the bill, and this one was made with the cooperation of Sophie Irene Loeb, a member of the New York State Commission for the Relief of Widowed Mothers. Newly appointed lawyer John Aldrich (Harry Morey) wants to marry Marie (Edith Storey), but she prefers Phil Carson (Donald Hall). Aldrich goes abroad and loses touch with Marie for the next 20 years. Quite a bit happens to her during this time: Carson is killed in an auto accident, leaving her and their two children, Audrey and Tom (Helen Connelly and Malcolm Beggs, Jr.), to fend for themselves. It's tough -Marie is fired from piece work at a factory because she refuses the advances of the boss (Edward Elkas). Because of her long working hours she has neglected her children, who have become tough little street urchins. Finally they are taken away and placed in an orphanage. They grow up to be equally incorrigible adults (played by Mary Anderson and Denton Vane), and Tom is faced with a prison sentence when he is convicted of theft. Marie goes to Aldrich, who is now a senator and begs for his help. Aldrich is in the midst of preparing a speech against the Widowed Mothers' Pension Bill, but her story turns him around. He secures a pardon for Tom from the governor, gives a rousing speech in the senate in favor of the bill, and proposes once again to Marie, who finally accepts him.