Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-29
BELIEVES cHlLDREN's RIGHTS
SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED

Los ANGELES, Jan. 26.-IEditor
Herald: l have read with considerable
interest your recent editorials, one en-
titled "A National Sim" which dealt
with the child labor problem; the other,
juvenile Grin inals," in which you
say, the preo ocity in crime which
characterizes this age is the greatest
problem we have to solve and this Is
true, but your suggestion that the evil
can be traced to physical defects will
hold good only to a very limited eX-
tent. The origin of the evil is far more
general and must be treated more he
roically than with the surgeons knife
or the prohibition of child labor.
The evil in all its hideousness is to be
found in the home life of the children
and our compulsory educational laws
spread the moral contamination.
What can be more demoralizing to
children raised in pure homes than
bringing them in touch with those
reared in dens of vice? No thoughtful
person familiar with the vices of chill
aren, even of tender age, can help ask
ing the question is that which has
added the most to the nations great
ness. namely. the little red school
house" COINS to be the cause of its
citizens.
The growth of the criminal classes
will never be checked until society
recognizes the rights of children, the
chief of which is not kind treatment
nor an education, but to grow up IN
pure, mora atmosphere, so that they
become good, industrious, law abiding
citizens
You have in your reform school at
Whittier today nearly three hundred or
as bright intelligent boys and girls as
can be seen anywhere, all of whom are
the victims o. Il bad environment and
many of whom are face to face with
criminal career. and this is not because
of prenatal Influences, but because
public sentiment said parental rela-
tons must not be disturbed so long as
he children had not become law
breakers. The lack of proper recog-
milton of the rights of children is seen
in the case of Mrs. Bradley who was
recently acquitted by the courts OF
Washington OF the murder of Senator
Brown. A proper recognition OF WhaI
the state owes these children would
cause them &c be sent to the ends OF
The earth. IL that were possible, so as
20 remove the stain on their young
lives, even though this should cause
the mother to commit suicide.
Had the board of childrens guard
fans attempted such course STORM
of indignation would have swept over
The land at what would be termed
the inhumanity of the proceeding, ana
these innocent victims of lust VIII De
left to battle for life against that 1or
which they are in no way responsible
rhus the sin OF the parents viii be VS.
tied upon the children to the third ana
fourth generation, while the Christian
conscience OF the nation Will be lulleu
10 sleep by singing "Throw Out the
Life Line"
Coming nearer home. let me ask
what the good people of Los Angeles
are going to DO with that helpless mite
Of human driftwood who floated INTO
the home of d highwayman ana muir
lerer. Will they leave it in the pos
session of a woman not her mother
who select ed a partner for life whose
instincts were so base as the conVlcleu
mans were, or shall the child be trans
erred to a clean Christian homer
When adjudicating between tie
rights of children and parents the emil
lren should be entitled to me ne ,i',t.f,
~ ,IL W w. y. 3.