The San Francisco call., 1908-09-29
JUVENILE CRIME
LAID TO NOVELS
Charities and Corrections Con-
ference Deplores influence
of Trashy Literature

OF Trashy Literature
BY unanimous vote Judge Curtis
D. Wilbur of Los Angeles, president of
the fifth California conference Of char
tiles and corrections in session at
Chabot hall, Oakland, yesterday after
noon, was authorized to draft bill for
presentation to the next state legisla-
tive assembly, asking that the age of
majority for girls in California be ad-
vanced from Is to 21 years. The reso-
luton was introduced by Judge Wilbur
toward the close of the afternoon, after
a number of prominent speakers had
been heard. The latter consisted
mostly of women who have been iden-
titled in charitable and reformation
work in the cities about the bay and
many parts of the state.
w. Almont Gates, secretary of the
state board of charities and correc-
tions, made short speech Of welcome
to the visitors and speakers, and was
followed by Judge Wilbur, whose talk
on The Delinquent Child is in part as
follows:
If we are to deal with delinquent
chlldren we must seek for the cause
form them and prevent others from
going the same way. There are a
number of causes, chiefly defective
must bs sovea n
sense ways. 1 have found that one
great cause for delinquency is the read
ing of cheap literature by young chill
dren. In the juvenile court at Los
Angeles came across one boy who
has been guilty of at least so bur-
glaries, and on being questioned he
said that he had read at least 500
trashy novels. L do not see how the
youth could go otherwise than wrong
reading these novels, most of which
have villainy as their chief heroics
CAN SAVE THOUSANDS
I'VE must do away with such litera-
ture and obscene pictures of any kind,
either moving or standing. The prob
lem is as old as the universe, and
We have. much to do, but by a careful
study of each case and applying the
proper remedy we can save many
thousands from themselves and the
learn much from the children in
our home life. We must make the
delinquent feel his own responsibility.
If boy is truant for one month. it
Is a victory when he is truant for only
one week in a month, and one day a
month. until he Is cured. / have found
who falls to report himself to the pro-
baton officer may be taught to do so
by forcing him to reports publicly in
court every time he fails.
problems for the Juvenile court to deal
with. The solution will come only when
every county has juvenile court. 1t
does not cure them to make them go
elsewhere when they are caught. They
should be returned to the friends of
their home life. Where the father or
mother is neglecting the boy the court
should appoint another guardian"
At the close of his talk Judge Will
bur heard a number of questions on
various causes and effects presented
by members of the audience. He was
followed by Judge F. B. Ogden of the
superior court, who spoke on '"The
Girl Problem" After discussing the
constitutionality of operating on a
child to cure physical and moral de-
fects without the consent of the par
ents, he said in part:
II am glad to see the citizens gath
cred together for the uplift of the
moral tone Of the nation. Our wealth
consists of our citizenship, We have
too long aimed for material and phys
tcal Improvement and have lost sight
of the moral nature.
DANGER TO GIRLS
"One of the most deplorable things
Of our day is the danger and corrup-
tion to which young girls are sub
jected ! believe that itsis 2 right step
power, such as they have in Colorado.
/ have just returned from a visit to
Denver and was astonished at the con-
fdence of the women in themselves in
regard to man.
"The working girl is the sufferer in
largest numbers in the large cities of
receive half the pay that men receive %
when it costs them just as much to live?
This is food for thought. If you take
away the price of the woman's labor
and she. is left without support, she
does not become thug or robber
like some men do. She is dependent on
man and is not capable of such prac-
tices. Instead she becomes the victim
of men and her end comes amid the
social evil.
My own suggestion is that when
you put it in the power of woman to
vote to insure her. rights and liberty
you have taken big step toward the
solution of the girl question. Has not
woman as much interest in protecting
life as man? Ought she not to be
entitled to say who shall take life.
have part in the selection of rulers
who take away liberty, or assessors
who assess the value of her property ?''
Judge w. H. Waste of Alameda fol-
lowed with few remarks on the ig-
norapce of boys and girls filing the
asylums and other institutions sup
ported for their detention and safety.
He attributed the timidity of parents
toward informing their children of the
fundamental principles of life as one
of the prime reasons. Several short
discussions followed from visitors in
the audience. the keenest interest be-
ing shown in everything that was said
JUDGE MURASKY SPEAKS
After a description of his duties as
volunteer Probation Officer" nv
George w Jessup, Judge f. J. Murasky
of San Francisco spoke on The Proba
ton Committee nd Its Uses: