Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-17
Plain Talk on
 Social Hygiene
BEFORE GENERAL FEDERATION
 OF WoMEN's CLUBS
DANGEROUS AGE 15-1s
For Supply of Girls to commereialized vice-Majority of Victims Not Re- Ignorance

Chicago, June 16.-George J. Knee land did some plain talking to dele gates to the General Federation or We mems clubs in convention here to- day. MT. Kneeland is director of the department of investigation of the American Social Hygiene association. His remarks were based on statistics gathered by his department and on the reports of investigators.
 He found that a prolific source Of supply to commercialized vice comes from girls between the ages of 1o and IS years. the dangerous age of the de- velopment of the racial instinct, and that a startling minority of these come from homes other than those of pow erty and ignorance.
 MT. Kneeland's agents in the last year have gathered histories of 300 girls not yet professionally immoral, but we'll started on the downward path. Contrary to the general impression ano the reports of some investigators that the majority of these girls are feeble-minded or sub-normal, MT. Kneeland said the majority of the girls were intelligent.
 Typical American Girls.
 Some of them," he asserted, "come from such homes as yours. Some live at home in idleness and ease. They are typical American girls, daughters of respectable and prosperous parents. But it is only fair to say that the majority are poor and ignorant, with a knowledge of evil and little con- ception of good"
 All through the reports of agents the speaker found certain characteris- tics among the girls. They were re- 'bellious towards home and parents; they were suspicious and scornful of boy friendss whom they call "boobs. Desiring secrecy, they prefer to meet strangers and married men.
 Dancing Intensifies, Sex Appeal.
 MT. Kneeland said that dancing and impasSioned love scenes on the stage intensified the sex appeal He told the women they could help save these mis- guided girls, and made the following suggestions:
 Make some effort to find these girls in your town. They are there. Having found them, you can attach yourself to them with bands of To re and understanding. The way to know them is to study your own heart; re- member the days of your youth. Tie influences that protected you will, in the end, save them.
 Knowledge Must Drive Out Ignorance.
 Give them healthy and sane instruc- tions as to the mystery of life. Warn them of disease. Knowledge must drive out ignorance. The evil must be sup planted by the good
 Each of you can have a powerful influence in providing amusements in your own community where the sex appeal is eliminated.
 Use their influence to bring about better economic and industrial condI- tions, so that fathers can be masters.
 Teach ignorant mothers and fa- thers so that they will love and un- derstand their children more than they do.
 Teach Honor of Womanhood.
 Teach boys and young men to hon. or womanhood. You can make them realize that young girls represent more than half of all future generations; that upon them depends the health and power of the race; that to injure a girl, to take advantage of her racial instinct at a critical moment, is a crime against unb born generations. Men must learn to sacrifice themselves, if need be. for the good of the race.
 Use your influence to restore to the home the simple yet powerful protec- tion which grows out of the belief in the religion of our fathers
 'sThe most complete solution of a man or woman's sex problem lies in vital. personal relationship to the fn- finite and eternal God. This we must teach our sons and daughters"