The Washington times., 1916-02-05
CODE DESIGNED TO
SAVE CHILD HONOR
Debate on Proposed Juvenile Bill
in House on Monday-Has
Wide Support.
Continued from First Page. }


court and that the small offenses Of
the playing boy are treated with all the
seriousness under the law. OF the crimes
OF the adult II a boy breaks u window,
he is charged with IAN offense against
property" or IL he takes a newspaper,
he is convicted OF larceny"
There is," declares this report. "ac-
cording to the conception underlying
the present law. but one way of reach
Ing him, and that Is through cohvic-
tion FOR the commission of crime.
court there may be an adult who Is the
Back OF the appearance OF the child in
person responsible for the appearance
of the child in Court--the person against
whom the Judgment OF the court should
bo lodsed-yct the law Is so defective
in this particular that not a single case
against an adult has been tried in
eighteen months"
Judge Latimer, OF the local Juvenile
Court, is an ardent advocate OF the
frequent conference both with the
committee that framed the bill, the
House committee that reported II this
week, and with Mr.. Tinkham. who is
to cndeaYor to steer ii through the
thorny paths OF tho lower chamber. He
! points out that the bill does not call
| for a cent of appropriation. though
| its passage probably VIII impose new
work on the already crowded court
over which he presides.
The Primary Question.
| The theory on which the new law
! j. framed is exactly the opposite 10
that upon which the existing statutes
a-e basel. Instead OF regarding the
| child as criminal till his iDnO-
cense is proved. il regards him as
| the ward OF che nation. whose well
fare "coincides with the well being
OF the State and who is TO be saved
| by It, rather than prosecuted by It,"
| lie ha n,1
all the new children's court legislation
| is written.
The first State Law embodying this
principle was that enacted in Illinois III
1893. and the movement has since spread
10 more than two-thirds OF the States
Of the Union. There is nothing essen
TALLY new In the thought behind this
legislation" says the FleXncr report
as. will be seen from the citation o
| authorities made part OF this report
| The principles that are the brick anc
| mortar OF the court are nothing new
, startling, nor experimental; on the con
trary. they are old they stretch ia
into the past and are found in man,
OF the early chanCery decisions
The primary auestion-the one tha
we always find I'm the Thousands o
cases coming before the Juvenile courts
--ipvSsrSes the right of the court to con
troll the custody Of the child; to take j
from its parents or guardian upon tn
board ground that the welfare OF thu
child and the good of the, state require
that this be done. The whole STRUCTURE
last resort in this country, when csllGt
upon TO construe laws creating juvenile
courts. have uniformly upheld the
right; they have rested the deoeion
fupon the broad principle that the cour
is exercising a power used from tn
earliest times by the English chancel
lors."
How Proposed Law Would Work.
| II the proposed law goes throuE h
instead ot tho Information and com
paint" OF the criminal Law. there VII
be merely Il petition setting forth tn
facts. The child and its parents WI
be summoned before the court--no war
rant of arrest. Instead Of a trial, upo
oath. with witnesses, the court Wi
make inquiry into the habits, surround
ings. conditions, and tendencies OF tn
child so that the court may render, no
a Judgment OF conviction against tn
child. but an order or Judgment "a
shall best conserve the welfare or IN
| hid.
The child NAV be allowed to renal
at home. subject. perhaps. to the supei
!, vision OF the probation. officer; 1t ms
, be put on probation; II may be place
in a suitable home: II may be CON
. mitted to the care OF the Board Of Chi
|. dren's Guardians or TO any tnstitutio
. or agency willing to receive It. In a
! ! cases, the Judgment is not a punisi
mont. either in fact or in name. ut
the assumption by the State OF the Gu,
tody through judicial Guardianship
= and the person or agency for the tim
being having the custody Of the chill
stands In loco PARENTS and is merel
] exercising the powers of a qua ndian.''
The johnson bill has the support M
only of the ATTORNEY General. but ais
OF many reform clubs and organization
=. made up of representative citizens {
4 Washington