The evening world., 1911-07-05
Greed of the Parents
Drives Many Children
Into Lives of Crime
Chief Clerk Coulter of the
ChHdren's Court De-
clares Too Many Faith
ers and Mothers Are
Afflicted Nth Money
Hunger.
~ Nina Carter Marhoure.
Money hunger, ~ IL EXISTS
among o certain GLASS Of parents,
10 certainly driving q large number
OF children 20 crime"

This is the opinion OF Ernest X. Coul-
ter. who since tho opening Of the Chill.
dren's Court has held the position OF It's
chief clerk. To Mr.. Coulter the troubles
OF tho boys and girls and parents who
are taken to this seat OF judgment are
told. This man. who organized the sue
cessful big Brothers club" has made
a study not only OF Juvenile. hut also OF
parental delinquency. and says that the
money hunger bescttlng many grown up
persons Is siartlng their children on a
life OF crime.
There are two classes Of parents 20
he considered" said Nj. Coulter. THE
class to be piled is that OF the lmml-
gran, who lands In America with n
family and only Sc or 30 In his pocket.
These people have no trade. no way OF
making a living. Little by little they
find their money decreasing and then IL
l. necessary for the children TO go to
work Mt some poorly paid employment.
These children have TO turn their money
In toward the support OF the family or
all would starve. They are to be pltled.
but II Is out of this class that many OF
the mos, law abiding citizens come. II
they live through the struggle.
1T In In the second class that you find
money hunger. In tho middle claS
home you will often see children work.
ing when It Is not really necessary. But
the parents have felt the craving for
money. and every cent that comes into
the home Is boarded up. In many cases
the parent will lake the chlld's hard
earned money and spend It for his or
her own diversion. These are the par
ents who are making criminals Of little
children and who should be severely
punished.
II have seen cases where young
boys have been arrested for stealing,
They had been sent out to work when
too young. All their honey had been
turned into the homo. where II was
not absolutely needed. Not = cent
WAS left for pleasure. and children
must have little pleasures. The only
thing the boys could see TO do vas
to steal pennies from their parents.
thieves.
PARENTS IN MANY CASES ARE
REALLY THE ONES At FAULT.
Many little ones are brought 70
Court by parents who complain tina
tho children have stolen from them.
These parents. nine tunes out Of ten,
are absolutely responsible for the
theft. for they hay deprived the child
OF every little. healthy pleasure he
might have. and have no ground down
his Intelligence and mind that the boy
does not know right from wrong.
These children. taken from school
at o early an age put to work and
deprived OF the right relaxation Of
mind and body. form q largo portion
Of those little ones who are pitied be-
cause they have defective minds.
Il think there should be Q law re-
curing the parent TO allow the boy or
girl who earns money a certain rea-
sonabls percentage OF It for pleasure.
This law should be especially appllca-
bic In all cases where tho family 10
In circumstance where tho none 10
not 70 badly needed as II Is In the
poor. pitiful homes Of the tenement
districts.
III such a law were made and en-
forced. II every child who earns money
and lives at home were permitted TO