Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-27
HoNoRINo THE SMALL BOY
rs. BY DOROTHY DIX
The Worlds Highest Paid Womaa


Writer
IN Japan the Fifth Of May IL sacred
20 the small boy. II is the boys
festival, and q national holiday
On that day above every household In
which there are boys flags wave and
from tall standards, float hugh galy
painted carp-the boys symboi-for
even as the carp -swims upstream
against the current, 30 must a boy
breast the difficulties In the river oi
life"
In some house, in the inner room,
q scroll depicting some scheme In
spring to a boys imagination Is
brought forth and hung up in the
kokemone and underneath IL IL cree
ted boys altar, resplendent with
effIcies Of the. shoguns In helmet and
armor, gorgeously iobed daimyos, and
stern two-sworded samurai Of the past
and the natty sailors and soldiers OF
the present. =
Before this are placed more stanrards
with bright hued banners and tiny carp,
and piles OF glittering toys, for this is
the japanese boys Christmas tree
and birthday rolled into one, and the
occasion on which all Of his friends
and relatives are expected to make
him presents. -
And the streets are filled with
myTaids of chubby checked little lads,
wearing the smile that won't come off,
and smoking on adamantine japanese
candy while they proudly exhibit their
gifts to each other. .s4
II Is picturesque and beautiful
eight to thus see whole nation tax
Ing day OFF TO pay tribute TO the
small boy and II Is custom that
might well be initiated in our own
conntry where boys as q class are
without honor, and none are 90 poor
as to do them reverence.
or course individually We adore ouI
own particular small boy, but all 9th
ers OF the male species, between the
time they cut off their Fauntleroy
cnris and grow q Smustache, we look
upon with horror coupled with fear
and dread. To our minds they typify
noise and dirt and vandalism, and
destruction, and demoniac inventive
ness that skaters quiet, and does
away with ell comfort and composure.
Landlords refuse 70 rent apartments
% those known to possess small boys
real estate depreciates when they
move into community, and we would
sooner hear that q visitor was bring
tag with her q raging hon and wild
hyeha than that she was to be accom-
panied BY her precious Tommy and
Johnny.
Perhaps the reason that the Ameri
can small boy Is such pest IN our
midst IL because he senses that we
regard him as an Ishmael and he there
fore unconsciously takes the outcast't
revenge upon society. Certainly we
do not give him q square deal when
We force him to live in cities, in tiny
band-b0x flats where there Is no space
Tor his acfiyitiese and energies, and
where he Il forced out on the streets
h order that older people may not be
driven BY him into insane asylums.
Every boy Il entitled to be raised on
farm where there Is enough room
Tor him 10 move about his hobble-de-
hoy feet and hands without knocking
things over, and whore he can yell
al he likes without breaking the
peace. when We deprive him Of his
birfhright Of this freedom IL Is no
wonder that we do often make him 9
criminal. and nearly always convert
him into sore tribulation to endure
No, boys do not set square deal
With us. Not even IN homes where
they are really wanted and loved.
whoever heard Of the boys getting the
best room In the housed That IL al
ways given to the girls. Any sort Of
"a attic chamber, or dark cubby hole
Is thought good enough for the boys,
and they invariably fall heir 10 the
hardest mattresses and the most di
lapidated furniture in the family.
Maybe one Of the reasons that boys
hang and hack chairs and tables
around 90 Is because they have never
had any Of their own that was worth
hking care OF. There's nothing IN .
lof 81 old junk that inspires in your
toul that love Of beautiful surround.