Arizona republican., 1915-05-19
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
THE CHILD AND THE STATE

Read this word picture and see if you agree with the writer. (Ed)
 To the Editor of The Republican, Sir:
 There is not, perhaps. perfect law on the statute books of all the world No product of mans brain but that may be,-will be, in fact, revised and improved Were it pos sible to frame a perfect law. one that would meet present conditions. tomorrow's changes would call for corresponding change in the law. but that the lapse of time will ef- face from mans memory
 Were I assiened the task of se- lecting a something that would come nearest to being eternal in it's opera : tion, that if possible would endure to the end of mans sojourn on earth. I would choose a school law so framed. that. in it's application would make possible the superlative degree of efficiency in the process of moulding the youth of our state into a citiZenship.-a commonwealth so perfect, able and just as to ban lsh forever from our midst. ignor- arce- vice, and poverty.-a law that would be a pattern for all other states. possibly the entire world.
 No one man could frame a law that would work out in perfect de- tail We could not even expect the first effort from any aggregation of minds to be without fault However a egislature-composed of high minded people. who would sink all petty and sectional selfishness and Jealousies of whatever kind or na- ture. and would approach the sub 
 of us at some time in our lives have felt. whether produced by a heavenly benediction or just from a spontaneous desire to do all the good we could in this world and no harm to any of Gods creatures could enact a statute that would re- fleet more lustre and give a greater satisfaction to each participant than could result from any other line of lerislation
 Let us imacine such a body at work. Would they not commence by providing for the investigation of the home conditions which each child was surrounded with from birth? Could a perfect law be framed that did not comprehend changes of environment. furnishing of proper food or clothing that in many instances would be necessary in the laying of the moral physical and mental foundation of the child :? The perfect structure cannot be built upon a faulty foundation. nor can a nerfect citizen he evolved after harmful home surroundings have done their work for six years. or until the school age They would provide also in the law for the same e-Trr -iefn .F entire time it was attending school. He should not lack food. clothing or right home surroundings Where necessary. the state would provide the medium for his reaching the school
 But some may say the state would be assuming too great control over the child. Do you know. MT. Citi- zen. that the stat1s right over the child is in many instances before that of the parents. even under ex- isting conditions? The state when the home conditions are not right, may provide a new home and take the child forcibly from its parents: or it may place him in a reforma- tory, later on. it may take him and place him in jail or an asylum or it may require him. in spite of his parents. to go to the defense of his country. Why not extend this power to such supervision as would be call culated to start the child out right and make unnecessary the probable corrective measures after the harm has been done
 A law of this kind might involve a somewhat greater expense in these initial efforts of the state in behalf m 10 of is now expended in corrective insti- tutions; however. the most unthink- ing cannot help but see that great good would result, would recompense for the expense and effort made many times over. It is a safe pre- diction. that if once adopted. the only changes that would ever be made in the law. would be those that would comprehend advances and corrections suggested by the laws operation.
 Of course there are those ready to fight every innovation. right or wrong, every step taken in advance, some through short -sightedness, oth- CTS actuated by selfish motives. However I cannot believe that any thing but a misapprehension is back of the present legislative effort to curtail the $500.000 appropriation made by the first state legislature. which was a step in the right direc- tion. When they see that it in no wise lessons the burdens of taxation. but would result in crippling some of the schools of the state it is hoped that the appropriation will be allowed to remain. especially as it can easily be shown to be a back ward step.
 Such body of workers would un-