The Sentinel=record., 1914-06-17
TELLS GENERAL FEDERATION OF WoMEN's CLUBS THE CAUSE
 OF GIRLS DOWNFALL.
LARGE MAJORITY IGNORANT
Declares That the Most Prolific Sup ply of Commereialized Vice Comes From Girls Between the Ages of IS and 18 Years.

Chicago, June 1G.-George K. Knee land did some plain talking to dele gates to the General Federation of Womens Clubs in convention here today. MT, Kneeland is director of the department of investigation of the American scciai hygiene association, and his remarks were based sn statis- tics gathered by his department and oa the reports of investigators
 He found that prolific source of supply to commercialized vice comes from girls between the ages of 15 and IS years, the dangerous age Of the de- yelopment of the racial instinct, and that a startling minority comes from ignorance.
 Mir. Kneelands agents in the last year have gathered histories of 300 girls not yet professionally immoral. but well started on the downward path. Contrary to the general i'm pression and the reports of some in- vestigators that the majority of the girls are feebie minded or subnormal, Mir. Kneeland said that most of the girls are intelligent.
 Some of them, '-he asserted, "come from such homes as yours. Some live at home in likeness and ease. They are typicaN American girls, dauBh- ters of respectable and prosperous parents But it is only fair to say that the majority are poor and igno- rant"
 All through the reports of agents the speaker found certain characteris- tics among the girls. They we're re- bellious toward home and parents; they are suspicious and scornful of boy friends whom they call 'boobs." Desiring secrecy, they prefer to meet strangers and married men.
 Mir. Kneeland said dancing and i'm passioned love scenes on the stage the sex appeal
 In offering suggestions to the wom- en for saving these girls, Mir. Knee land urged that they make an effort to find such girls in their towns. By giving taem the friendship and under standing of the older women. he de. clared the girls could secure rightful instruction
 He appealed also to the women to use their influence in bringing about better economic and industrial con dtions in order that fathers can be in their own homes and the young men can marry early in life,
 Mr. Kneeland concluded with plea for the women to teach boys and young men to honor womanhood and make them realize that to injure a girl and take advantage of Ter racial instinct at critical moment is crime against unborn generations.
 Resolutions adopted recommended:
 Simple, becoming and modest de- signs in dress.
 Offered the services of the home economic division to further the bill in congress to estab- ish bureau of home economies.
 Favored increased appropriations for state and city boards of health.
 Urged university extension work for the prevention of disease.
 Requested children's bureaus to pre- pare pamphlets for mothers cn sex for the children.
 Approved state laws making manda- tory the reporting of venereal dis eases.
 Approved abatement and injunction law in the suppression of immoral resorts.
 Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker of Tex as was re-eiecterd president and tle entire ticket of tho nominating com, mittee was elected without opposition.
 Miss Margaret Woodrow Wilson, daughter of the president led the del egates in the singing of Edwin Mark hams song, s.Brotherhood.'
 When Mrs. Pennybaclter introduced Miss Wilson the throng Of delegates arose and waved and cheered her fr ten minutes.