The Washington times., 1910-06-27
-HE late Warden Flynn, who for
the thirteen years preceding his
death had been in charge Of the

he late Warden Flynn, who for
the thirteen years preceding his
death had been in charge Of the
Tombs, used TO say:
Prisoners are not all bad, and most
Of those who are here would not be
here If they had been brought UP the
right way"
That Indictment OF parents is worthy
OF the careful consideration Of every
father and mother in the land. 1t is
true that not only the sins Of the Grim
inal. but the failures and unhappiness
Of the majority Of people who go wrong
can be laid at their parents doors.
of course. in its Dalder aspects, we
have always recognized this. We admit
the power Of heredity and environment.
we know that like breeds like, and that,
nine times out Of ten, the child that is
born Of the gutter stays III the gutter
Undoubtedly, the offspring OF genera
tions of thieves ana murderers come in
TO the world with degraded instincts
and appetites that II is practically i'm
possible fer them 10 resist and that
toredOom tFem TO be criminals
Lombroso's Theory
Crime l. a Disease.
There are also children who are born
into the midst Of vice, whose every sur
rounding a-d influence, from their
cradle up, is evil They literally have
no chance to be decent or respectable,
and they, too, are the hapless vic
Tins of their parents
More and more also we are coming TO
accept Lombroso's theory that crime is
largely a disease, and that the sins Of
the father are visited upon the child IN
some abuOrmality of mind or body thdt
makes it a criminal, or a weakling, and
sets its feet U0O1 the downward pain
that ends in :. prison cell Thus, our
fails are fill = with the unft-those who
should never have been born
The murderer. the thug. the thief the
HrUnkard, the epileptic are not the only
parents, however, who are responsible
Tor our criminals The good, respect
able, honest, piOus, churgh-golnS man
and woman can also be accused, and il
IS 20 these parents that Warden Flynn's
pregnant words are addressed.
Axe you, Nj. and Mrs Responsibility,
raising up criminals You shUdder with
horror at the though But are you
Making a Beautiful
Start IN Crime
You have a boy. a fine. bright little
lad. Nothing inherently vicious about
him. but he is headstrong and self
Rilled, and determined on having his
bwp way. You have never taught him
10 obey you. When you forbid him to
20 out Oh the street he goes, and you
luss and fume and say that you don't
know what on earth you are going 10
Do with that boy. because he doesn't
mind a word you say"
You are making a beautiful start at
The construction o. criminal You
teally COZ .dn't do better. because the
khild who has never been taught Obedi-
lnce at home is bound to grow up with
DO respect 70" law and order. But when
be defies the law as he defies you he
vii get into trouble No child who has
been brought up to respect authority
las ever yet landed behind prison bars.
Or perhaps your little specially is
making a murderer. The child who is
The very apple Of your eye has a ter
rife temper. When he gets angry he
Is like "A mad creature. He shriekS,
Ind kicks. and bites. and smashes his
toys 10 pieces, and grinds them under
his little feet You deplore his pas
zion. but il takes time, and effort, and