Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-09
CHILD PROBLEM

n ROBIFMS of child labor and child
training have been engaging the
Il attention of the English, VINO
have worked out a children's act, now
successfully in force, which may be ot
benefit to all crowded countries where
the child problem is serious. we would
remind our readers there are few cltles
either in Scotland or Ireland Where
the questions which are vexing England
and various parts of the United States
are troublesome. While of course there
are overcrowded districts in Scotland
and ireland, it would be absurd TO
compare their general condition with
that of England although they are
often mistakenly included with Eng
land by American writer's.
The absurdity OF the comparison VIII
he appreciated when it is remembered
that although the combined area OF
Ireland and Scotland is greater than
the area of England, the combined
population of Scotland and Ireland
probably does not exceed in round
figures 10000, 900, while the population
of England is over 10000, 900. London,
with it's suburbs, contains a bigger
population than either Scotland or Ire
land. Therefore. excepting in spots
there is not in either Scotland or Ire
land the condition which menaces the
social welfare of England. Moreover,
the Irish and Scotch emigrate more
readily than the English, who of late
years have produced a regulated or
artificial emigration by taking slum
Children from the great cities, and,
willy nilly, transporting them to Can
ada and other parts of the British
empire to grow up with the country"
There are enough surplus children left
in England to worry offcialdom; and
the government has been compelled
to take a hand in protecting child life
which has been allowed to suffer from
the degeneracy of parents, who in turn,
to a much greater extent than the
unco guild and rigidIy righteous are
willing to acknowledge, are the help
less victims of social circumstances.
The new English act seeks to protect
children from gutter influences, from
public house (saloon) influences and
not only to establish throughout the
nation Juvenile courts for offenders, but
to keep them out of all other courts.
No child other than an infant in
arms will be allowed to be present in
any criminal court unless it is shown
its presence is actually, absolutely and
beyond reasonable doubt necessary.
Juvenile smoking is to be abolished.
Pawnbrokers and saloon keepers are
not to be allowed to have any dealings
with children.
Last, but not least: "a child over .
years old may be taken from the Gus
today Of a habitual vagrant if the
vagrancy interferes with the educa-
ton OF the child" The far-reaching
nature of this provision will be APP
preciated when it is remembered the
term "vagrancy'' may include within
its elastic scope persons known to be
meier do weels, idlers, drunkards, gam
blers and persons who refuse to have
any visible means of support.
When a nation, even at the eleventh
hour, begins to care for its children, it
is INSURING ITS FUTURE. There
fore there is still hope for poor, old
overcrowded England. In the United
States Vagrancy and everything else
that interferes with the education of q
child should be legislated against
While we pity England we should not
forget we have our own child problem
and 1t is daily becoming bigger and
more difficult of adjustment.