The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-18
PLEADS FOR YOUTHS
FIR. EHRENREECH ADVOCATES JU-
 VENILE COURT.
Rabbi Tells His Congregation That II Is Duty of the State To Provide Such n
 TRthunmi.


 Ali the onclusIon of the regular Sab bath services at Temple Beth Or Friday evening Dr. B. c. Erhenreich deltv- cred a strong appeal in favor Of Juye- nile Courts in general, and the estab- iishment of one for Alabama.
 The sermon was pervaded throughout by the earnestness and deep interest in humanitarian work that have char acterized the Rabbis efforts since his assumption of the duties of his new charge, and showed, not only his phil- anthropy, but thorough knowledge and sympathy with this important subject.
 At the outset. the speaker dwelt upon the duty of religion as being prf- mary. But Judaism, he continued, is not alone a religion of creed; it IS a religion of action. His labors for the welfare of the government under which he lives Is. an inseparable part or that religious duty of every, Jew. e
 The speaker then referred to a statement that he had noticed in the newspapers relative to the growth Of crime in this country, and pointed out that in the City of Chicago during one year there were something over six teen thousand arrestes of Juvenile ot- lenders.
 We are told'' said Dr .Ehrenreich, that the nature of man Is bad from his youth, which means that unless the refining influence of education, culture and civilization are brought to bear on the child, we may expect the very con ditions that now confront us, Take for example the treatment of the insane of a hundred years ago and compare it with the treatment of that same class today. Modern equipped hospitals sup plant dark dungeonss thoughtful con- sideration takes the place of crpel treatment; attempts to minister to the nalady supercede the oid methods Of perhaps increasing II by inhumane treatment. Consider the improved methods of dealing with children along educational lines. 1nSJead of the whip and the lash, we find the persuasive method; in the place of force and threats, we have moral stimulants. And if we have adopted these meth ods with, the insane; if we have found that kind and humane treatment is conducive of better and higher results in the education of children--is 1t not surprising that we have not tried 1t with the young offender? Are those who, perchance, by the untimely death of Q mother, or by the falling by the wayside of a father, and who, therefore have never known a mothers kiss or a fathers caress or encouragement enti- tied to less consideration Do not these very facts make in more imperative up- on us to do what we can to rescue these unfortunates?
 This Is the province of the Juvenile Court as they have been established throughout the country; this Is what plead for in Alabama And it is our duty as Jews as religious men and wo- men, as men and women interested in the welfare of our government to dc what we can toward helping this move ment. It is out duty to go to the men who make our laws and plead with them that they establish this court nay to beg them, if we must, that they give us such a law. For by such . measure, we redeem the child from ig. norance.S degredation and crime; we