Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-10-09
CHILDREN'S REPUBLIC.
The Toughest of Tcugh Children
Rule Themselves.
POLICE FORCE FURNISHED.
An 0tfieer of Thirteen Cleverly Proved a
Thief's Guilt and Brought Backa
Band of Fugitlves,

One of the most interesting expert
ments in government ever made
has just been concluded. 1t was th@..
George Industrial Camp, more de-
scriptively called the Children's Re-
public. 1t will undoubtedly be re-
peated another year.
For the first time, it is believed, in
history republic of children has been
created and it was a great success. 1t
must not be regarded, however, merely
as curiosity in political science. for
it has done much to solve one of the
most difficult problems with which
workers in the slums have to deal.
Children who could not be governed
by the most amiable of teachers and
attendants have been made to govern
themselves in the most severe and or
derby manner. They had been the de-
spair of fresh-air funds and now they
are the rising hope of the east side.
Boys whose highest ambition in life
had been to become leaders of gangs of
toughs or criminals have been turned
into exemplary judges and policemen.
The originator of this remarkable
scheme was Mr.. w. r. George,
young man and an officer of the
Twenty second Regiment He has
been in the habit of giving much time
to work among the children of the
slums and had been puzzled by the
question of what to do with the inoor.
rigibles. those wi whom the fresh. air
funds and other philanthropic institu-
tions would have nothing to do. Then
he had the admirable idea of allowing
the children to settle the question for
themselves under favorable condi-
tions.
This summer he rented q fine farm
of forty. three acres near Freeville, in
Tompkins County, New York. On
July 8 he took 800 of the very worst
boys and girls he could find in the
slums of New York. They could only
be described in their own language as
dead tough" Twenty three young
women and seventeen college men ac-
oompanied them as attendants and
teachers. They were thoroughly i'm.
bued with the George idea of allowing
the children to govern themselves.
On July the Children's Republic
came into official existence. A Con-
gress and President were elected and
militia created. Judges, policemen
and all other necessary officers Were
elected or appointed in due course.
Everything was done as at an ordinary
election o. full-grown citizens, inolud-
ing stump speaking, registration and
voting at the polls. From the time
the political system was created the
grown-up attendants had little trouble
about the maintenance of order.
Every child was assigned to class
of instruction. The girls were taught
sewing, dressmaking, cooking and
housekeeping. the boys carpentering,
farming, landscape gardening and
hostelry. No child was compelled to
attend, in accordance with the funda-
mental idea of giving them all the lib
erty possible, but for doing so he or she
received at first 90 cents day. When
they became more efficient they re-
ceived 70 to 80 cents day.
They were paid in the current coin
of the Chlldren's Republic. and not in
that of the United States. This cur
rency was cardboard.
At first the boy who would not work,
and consequently had no money. was
put ON pauper fare of bread and water,
and was made to sleep on straw in
cell. This system ,necessitated tax
of three cents a day on the industrious
members of the community, and they
quickly revolted. A popular Congress
man, the son of New York paupers,
led the attack ON the law, and it was
at once repealed.
Thereafter the motto of the Republic
was: "If a man will not work, neither
shall he eat As in all communities,
there were some incorrigible idle men,
bers who would rather go without food
than work. In some cases they took
to begging and were promptly arrested
by the police and fined 80 cents or i'm
prisoned for one day in the lookup.
Mr.. Roosevelt would be happy if he
could secure a police force as vigilant
and efficient as this. The boys thor
oughly enjoyed the sensation of being
policemen.
Admission to the police force was
only possible after rigid civil-seryice
examination. Thirteen boys and two
girl clerks made up the force. They
were unfiinching in the discharge of
their duties no matter how large the
| offender.
One boy was tried by jury of his
peers and sentenced to five days i'm
prisonment for stealing money. Pris-
oners had to wear striped suit of bed
ticking and live ON bread and water.
There was an impression in this case
that the boy was innocent, and the