Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-17
9 .sr,z n, syssss Tie Free 11nagfuaYen.

r- HE juvenile court system of Utah is among
the best for it is calculated to reach every boy
1 and girl and every man and woman In the
state II 1t does not do 1t is owing to
lack OF funds for its proper support There is
y chief probation officer provided in every county of
ND, state but owing to the small amount paid
most of them. 1T cannot be expected they VIII be
able to give their most important abors more than
casual attention. Every one of these officers should
bc Maid enough to enable him to devote all of his
,no If necessary to looking after his official duties.
And ,cse duties do not consist of merely admonsh-
Inc, the boy girl against whom complaints nave
,aen lodged but hold meetings with parents, IN
s,rncting them as to the law regarding their rela-
lions with their children. and with the children to i'm
hue Them with Il love for law and right, ana now TO
conduct themselves in order to keep out of trouble
Particularly should they post the people on me SUD-
ect of curfew law. IN some counties of the state
this wholesome legislation Is entirely neglected. Even
in salt Lake county it has received strong oppos-
lion from n few parents who We're ignorant OF its
aims and benefits When shown that n large per-
centace of the delinquency of boys and girls occurs
after o'clock at night the curfew hour they be-
Gin to realize how important 1t is to have their chill
dren at home, off the streets at night
CURFEW A GOOD THING.
IS an illustration of how Indifferent parents
are concerning the safety of their children the fol-
lowing Is cited:
A determined move to keep children off the streets
was begun some time ago by tho juvenile court OF
Salt Lake county. For this purpose not only the
regular staff, but many volunteer probation officers
were nut to work. Merchants kindly furnished us
rooms on Main street to hold temporary court One
night among other children brought in were three
boys who gave their ages as T. 6 and years Ihis
was about II o'clock, and the youngest one who could
scarcely talk plain very drowsy; indeed ne rel
lus, asleep on knees Of of the officers whle
the Oldest boy was giving Information as 70 no"
they came be out on the street so iatc AT hsh'.
This story was that their mother, who lived several
80 thp ct
III the habit Of giving the boys car fare ana sending
them in to Salt Lake attend moving picture SHOWS
in the evenings. After the show TINS evening they
had wandered around looking at the sights until
found by probation officers AT nearly one III the
morning. shortly returning home from tho
nights work a shr ana angry female voice called
over the phone:
is this the judge of the Juvenile court?'
Yes 1t is"
We'll | want 10 tell you leave my children
alone when send them out at night II you don't
I'm going to have your whole OUTFIT sent to jail.
know how to take Of my children ana doht
want of your buttn IN
Your action in permitting your babies to be on
the street ut night without proper escort not only
causes them to break the law, but places you in the
position Of a law breaker And you are given iair
warning that your children found on the street
again the same conditions, you VIII very ike
~ be the sent to jail
The phone was dropped with gasp, and neither
officers since.
While there are still many children on the
streets at night, wonderful Improvement has been
wrought in salt Lake City, especially is this true OF
the main business streets. Where we found scores
the first night we commenced operations, less than
dozen were brought in the last night the search was
OFFICERS WORKED OVERTIME
This work has all been done overtime. SO to speak.
for the paid officers of Salt Lake county do not get
very large salaries, and work hard all day fully
earning All they receive; aud yet they are out night
after night perforning cu,ew and other duties with
out extra compensation TOO much cannot be said
OF the good men and women volunteers who arc
rendering us most valued service absolutely without
pay, other than the comfort of knowing that they
helping boys and girls to be honest true ana
virtuous who might otherwise fall into evil ways,
Ii would be blessing to the state If all Juvenile Of
cers would kindly but firmly insist on the observ-
nncc of the curfew law
THE TOBACCO EVIL.
There is good law our statute books govern
ing the use of tobacco by minors, which makes 1t
unlawful any minor under is years of age to have
III his possession cigarettes cigars or tobacco In any
form, and also makes 1t unlawful for any person to
furnish tobacco in any form to minors If all our
probation officers would insist on the observance OF
this lnw ,rGIy bright boy would be saved to good
citizenship who is now destroying his mental ana
physical powers and Fastening to an early grave, or
weak and mbece life. The baneful effects of to-
bacco, especially cigarettes, upon young boys who
form the vile habit, cannot be exaggerated Almost
every delinquent boy that comes into our court and
tioro have been over n thousand within tne last
year, is cigarette user, tho best OF my pres
cn recollection. not single boy has been sent to
tho Industrial school by who had not been user
of the weed is my opinion. after long and careful
study OF the question, that the cigarette habit has
demorallzcd, debauchcl and ruined more promising.