East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-08-06

eqd homes and perverted Childhood.
As time goes on and these cases
nave continued to multiply. the con-
Viction has been borne upon me that
the foundation of this evil NAV truIv
be laid in early childhood. in the nm
wise methods of training adopted bv
many parents, which fosters tho sell
ilsh spirit of the boy, and leads him
to consider that he is the center of
his world, and that every will must
bend to his and everything that tends
TO his own comfort and pleasure. Thus
is born and nurtured the spirit of sell
fish greed which lies at the root of
this evil
In how many homes is adequate in
struction given to the girl as to the
dangers that threaten her? While
there are doubtless cases in which
the victimized girl Is aware of the
danger. yet it is my opinion that in
the majority of cases she will not put
herself in a position of risk if a true
exposition of what contronts her is
made known.
Ignorance, indifference, and willful
neglect in regard to this evil are the
three most powerful enemies with
which We have to contend if we ex-
pect to make any headway against
its onslaughts upon the youth of this
country. The first two can only be
overcome by education and enlighten-
ment, and the third by repression.
Ignorance being the root of much
of the evil, knowledge should be i'm
parted in the home and school. nowl-
edge as to what life is and how it
! can best be preserved, and without
this knowledge no child should be
considered to have received an all
round education. We cannot expect
to accomplish this end until prudish-
ness and so-called parental modesty''
have been swept away and the pa
rental conscience quickened.
The evils of human slavery had to
be publicly discussed for generations
before that great wrong could be
righted. In like manner, public dis
cussion. plain spoken but invested
with dignity and reserve. must be the
forerunner of any effective measures
to stamp out the social evil.
What measures shall we adopt in
the case of those who are not ignor-
ant but who are wilfully contributing
to the dependency and delinquency
OF their own and other children by
permitting and fostering immortality
and kindled vices in their homes The
time is surely coming when we must
insist upon the responsibility of the
man or woman, and that pressure be
brought to bear upon the individual
who refuses to do his duty, morally
or otherwise.
When in England several years
ago, I was much impressed with the
fact that where children were found
to be neglected in any form, the par
ent or individual was put on trial, and
if conditions warranted, were sent to
the workhouse or Jail, and their wa
ges taken for the support of their
children. The government of that
country has also recently established
the whipping post for white slavers
and it is my conviction that we need
such stern and repressive measures in
this country if we expect to eradicate
The social evil is the greatest enemy
| of the American home today. for II
is responsible for the increasing num-
| ber of children whom we receive
year by year in our Institutions as a
result of separation, divorce and de-
! sertion.
The social evil is not the effect OF
| one cause but is the result of many
causes. 1t has its social and econom-
ic causes. but it also has its domestic
| causes I feel that we, who are now
| giving, and perhaps have devoted the
| best years of our lives to the better
ment of the child, understand and
are mutually agreed upon the causes
of this evil although we may differ
as to the best methods of prevention
May l sound a note of encourage
| ment and optimism by referring to
! the New Puritanism" or the New
| Conscience" as Jane Adams aptly
calls it, which stands for the revival
of civic righteousness and a moral
square deal, and which is evidenced
by the increasing agitation and de-
nland that we face the evil and treat
IL VIII SN ilpd lnelIC anu sane uH
derstanding?
If we do nothing else we should at
least protect by all legal means. from
debasement, those who are young
and Inexperienced, and who are pow
erless to defend themselves against
immoral influences
If the child of the future is to OBJ
tain justice and the right to live a
life that is endurabe, we must shake
off this indifference and lethargy,
which seems to bind us. and realize
that the responsibility for the safe
guarding of our nations youth rests
upon each one Of US.
The need of the hour is united ac-
tion on the part of those who love
children and are interested in them,
and only in this way can we conserve
the greatest Of all our national assets,
and thus fulfill our responsibilities.
Loss of Vitality is loss of the prin-
chile Of life and is earlv indicated