The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-21
ERON OTHER PENS

SETTING THE BOYS STRAIGHT.
Judge Lindsey, the most noted of
Juvenile court reformers, gives an
account of his stewa dshfp which de-
serves attention far beyond the circle
interested in methods of reforming
boys arrested for violations of the
law. The thought he stimulates goes
into all dealing with boys. Judge
Lindsey reports that a proportion of
six out of seven of the boys who have
come under his care have become
average good citizens, while in
another large city, which preserves
the old system of putting boy prison
ers with adult convicts. rs per cent Of
those arrested go back to JAIL
Boy nature has no variations so
wide that a philosophy good for those
who happen to fall into the hands of
the law is not good for all. Judge
Lindsey's report supports the doctrine
insight. If a child Is Judged as a
criminal treated as a criminal and
driven to criminal companionship, he
will acquire the criminal habit and
the criminal point of view. The doc
trine goes further. If child is
undesirable cit1zen,'' he will tend to
that habit and that point of view
Charity, appreciation, optimism and
patience are as necessary as
teaching and discipline to the max
ing of a good man; and it takes al
qualities of any boy Of 10 years and
say whether he Is to be good man
or bad man. Judge Lindsey tries
to increase the growth of good quail
ties by fertilizing the underlying boy
ish motives. Everybody has not his
gift of understanding these motives,
but it is every adults duty to make
sympathetic, effort to puzzle them out.
After all, they may not be obscure If
the search is made thoughtfully.-
Philadelphia Ledger.
ENGLAND AND NAVAL COMPETI-
TON.
The military and naval estimates
of the British government for the cur
rent year have proved disappointing
to many advanced liberals and friends
of peace, economy and progress
toward limitation of ornaments. Not
that the estimates show a consider
able decrease, for the combined in
crease for the two services is only
So, 00o, 600. But the displeased elements
ton, and they are firmly Of the opinion
that this is a decidedly propit!ous time
for an actual and substantial retrench-
ment in defense expenditures. The
treaty with Russia, the excellent I'M
Outstanding. with France, the improv-
ed relations between England and
Germany-all these factors. they hold
make economy possible and safe, and
where economy is safe liberal princi-
pies render it desirable. A resolution
criticising the government in this
sense had been introduced and tenn
porarily withdrawn as a favor to the
premier. After the estimates were
submitted, it was introduced, and the
other evening Chancellor Asquith made
the speech on it that was intended to
excuse and vindicate the ministry. He
denied that the government saw a
menace in Germany's naval pro-
gramme for the future. He asserted
that it was earnestly opposed to need
less naval expansion and would dc
everything to prevent "a new squirt in
competitive shipbuilding between the
great powers" It was not going to
anticipate developments or build
against paper programmes" But 1t
was bound and determined to main
tain the two7power standard, and Its
estimates, now or in the future, must
conform to that fundamental princt-
ple.-ChicaSo Record-Herald.