The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-07-16

OF the men who most successfully traf-
licked in the souls and bodies OF young
girls SAID that the easiest girl in the
world to lure into the life was the
working glrl whose parents made her
turn over her pay envelope to them.
Take young girl who worked from
early dawn to night, who tolls to ex-
haustlon every day and who gets moth
ing out Of her labor but few cents
her mother gives her for spending
money, who never has any pretty
clothes because her mother doesn't be-
levc IN wasting money on finery. who
never has the price ot a theatcr ticket
because her mother thinks il sinful to
spend money on amusements; tell this
girl you'll put her in the way OF max
ing money that she will have for her
own and that she can spend as she
| plcases, and ninety-nine times out of a
hundred YOU hav got her. said the evil
philosopher.
Possibly he is right At any rate it
is sadly significant that of the girls
who leave home large majority be
long to foreign families in which the
parents hold to the old theory that
child's and especially a girl childS
earnings belong to the parents and that
girl Should have no liberty OF action,
while the girl has become Ameticanized
and wants, at least, the privilege OF
handling what she has worked so hard
for and some freedom TO enjoy her
youth.
Girls leave home, often, because they
are smothercd and sufiocated by too
much family life Last winter a young
girl of good family, mysteriously left a
beautiful and luxurious home and for
weeks and weeks the police OF the
whole country searched in vain for her.
Her frantic parents were sure she had
been Kidnapped by white slavers They
knew she never would have gone away
OF her own volition because, as they
tearfully declared, never since the day
OF her birth had she even been out from
under our their eyes, or permitted TO
60 to school, or visit little friend, or
see a boy or do anything. without her
mother or father as chaperon.
Eventually the girl was found work
ing as a maid in family and by way
OF excuse for her escapadc she said
that she was so tried OF being watched,
and never having any liberty, that she
couldn't stand II any longer and ran
away to get a little freedom And she
wept when she was discovered and had
to go back home.
Girls leave home because their homes
are places OF discord and strife instead
Of being abodes Of happiness and cheer
fulneSS. They leave home because they
are cursed with mothers who nag aud
fret at them all the time, or they have
fathers who are grouchy and are surly
and who make home place 10 be
avoided and fled from, ii possible
They leave home because their par.
en,s are out OF all sympathy with them
and do not realize that young people
must have pleasure and amusement, and
that If they cannot find it under their
own roofs they whl find it elsewhere
even il that elsewhere is the public dance
hall, and the back room OF a saloon.
and eventually the street. Girls leave
home because they are bored, because
they have gotten bitten by The career
craze, because they resent being treated
like slaves or babies after they are
grown mp, but they never leave the
homes where there is love and tender
ness and understanding justice and
where a wise father and mother guide
them into the right path so gently and
subtly they do not know they are be-
ing led,
Fathers and mothers, take heed Of
your girls and see whether you are
driving them away from home or not