The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-11-11
W. C. T. u. PUBLICITY
-. COLUMN

The attention Of the public is again
called to the fact that on Sunday eve
ming. Nov. Z, a mass meeting will be
held in the Normal Auditorium in the
interests Of the State Enforcement
League, to which all are cordially in
vited.
The program is as follows:
hymn ................ Congregation
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Solo-"Hold Thou My Hand" 49,.
................... F. Stevenson
Violin Solo-Selected -. Mr.. Froysaa
Address-"The Modern Prohibition
Movement" So. Rev. c. w. Finwall
Song by Male Quartette Goodbye
Sweet Day.. .Messrs. Meyer, Buck.
walter, Hunt and Zimmerman.
Address--"The Leagues Enforce.
ment Program for 1916"
................ Rev. F. L. Watkins
Solo-Selected 49,. Dean Woodlands
Benediction
1t is hoped that large audience
will be present to greet these distin-
guished speakers and enjoy the splen-
did program which has been arranged.
Co-incident with the announcement
of the coming of Mr.. Watkins and his
enforcement work, it may be interest
ing to review some of the other laws
on our statute books which are not OBJ.
served as strictly as they should be.
l wish to call particular attention at
this time to some of the laws for the
protection of North Dakota's children:
Compulsory Education Law
Every parent, guardian or other
person who resides in any school dis
trict or city and who has control over
any child Of, or between the ages of
eight and Is years, shall send every
such child to a public school in each
year during the entire time the public
schools are in session."
This sounds we'll, but 1t has serious
defects. The age limit hould be ex
tended as both ends; those children
who have not finished the grades at
the age of Is should be sent longer;
those who finish the grades before the
age limit has been reached should be
under compulsion to continue their
training in some school of secondary
type; and of the five excuses which
are deemed legitimate for the non.en-
forcement of this law, one, at least,
should be done away with; namely
that such child is necessary to the
support of the family" This seems
a reversal of normal conditions. II the
parents cannot support the child,
surely it is the states business to bro.
vide for that child by furnishing it
with an education, at least. To do
otherwise is economic suicide.
Even with it's defects, the school
law of the stat would be much more
effective if diligently observed. Why
have statutes on our books IL not to
be enforced?
Pool Room Law
Another excellent law for the pro
lection of our children may be found
in Chapter 295 of the 1907 session
laws. Every parent and law-abiding
citizen should take the trouble to look
this up and do what he can to see that
it is enforced. In regard to this mat
ter, Supt. S. Henry Wolfe, Of Minot,
says: DO you know what boy sees.
hears and does in pool.room gather
ing? Let me tell you. He hears pro-
family, smutty stories and foul Ian
guage. He sees the smoking Of to.
bacco and cigarettes and a modified
form Of gambling. These places are
the very ladyrinths OF iniquity, breed.
Ing vice and crime; nay, they are the
very portals Of hell, engulfing the
flower of our youth and destroying
them as future citizens Of our com.
monwealth. They are the breeders
and feeders of our penal institutions.
The administration of this law
throughout the state is wofully neg.
lected. The men and women Of this
state ought to rise in body and de.
mand that public officials do their
whole duty or resign and give some.
one else an opportunity to enforce the
laws"
Anti-cigarette Law.
The 1913 legislature Of North Dako-
ia passed law as follows:
That it shall be unlawful for any
person by himself, clerk, servant or
employee or agent, directly or indi-
rectly, upon any pretense or by any
devise, to manufacture, sell, exchange,
barter, dispose of, or give awav or