The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-24
KIDS PENNIES


really almost strangers.
Then Dr. Poland looked at his neat
" pressed suit and probably thought
of the unhoIy odors of the bull pen
and the all day and night vigil of
the bed bugs.
"If it is several days bore trial,
guess perhaps could get bail,
ventured the crusader. Probably
Doctor Gordon and his friends would
help me-
"'Bed Bugs Awful
1T wasn't a very pleasant night in
this place." the doctor said in re-
Spouse to a question as to how he
spent his night. There was a rather
sad smile on Doctor Poland's lips and
I he wasn't inclined to offer a testi-
monial for the police holdover. 1T
was pretty noisy at times. But that
| wasn't the worst of it. 1 slept IN d
table to get away from the bed bugs
in the hunks. The bugs here are
awful. Simply awful
Then Doctor Poland was asked con-
| corning his educational demonstra-
! ton when he killed cat before the
boys and girls of Lafayette school
Only one cat was killed, he said. He
| denied reports that similar demonstrG-
tons had been given in other schools.
| Boys Had the Cat.
| Mr. Todd, the principal of the
| school, asked me to go from the PARK
dale school to Lafayette school and
(
| Poland. He told me the boys had
the cat 1t put me in a rather embar-
! RAJ sing situation. If I didn't go the
i boys might say was taking. So
to provide money for the crusade.
went l dampened a wire with nico-
tine. placed the wire on the cats
tongue and it died in four minutes.
THE complaint charges me with
mahciously and cruelty killing cat.
! There was no malice about it. There
/
cat than though one had given it
| chloroform. If 1 am merely charged
with giving the cat nicotine, L am
guilty. If it is cruelty or malice, 1
am not guilty"
Continue Lectures Here.
DR.. Poland said he had not retained
counsel or sought the advice of an at
/ torney His plans, he said, were to
continue his lectures in Topeka. He
expects to speak in several Topeka
schools next week, he said.
How about the donations from the
| school children. How much have they
totalIed and what will be done with
| the money!"
II haven't received the money yet"
said DR.. Poland 1T is being sent to
| Superintendent Wilson. The money
| will go to pay local expenses for DR..
I Gordon and myself The home office
has no money and we must rely on
| local aid for our expenses. 1 dom
| know how much has been given and
probably won't know until next week
In fact, 1 don't think many of the
| subscriptions have been turned in
Schools Took Pennies.
When Mrs C. j. Evans, president
of the board of education, let down
the bars to the anti-tobacco crusaders,
the privileges were wide and varied,
| it seems. Not only did the permit
carry a right to enter the various
schools and occupy the time of regu-
lar class periods, but permitted of the
| cat killing educational demonstra-
! ton" and the appealsto the emotions.
| fears and impulses of the children
who pried open their savings banks
The younger children gave their pen
| MES and nickels, while the children
in higher grades boosted the cause
with dimes and quarters. All of the
| su inscriptions were placed in pledge
| envelopes and turned over to school
| heads.
Jaw, what yer given yer Chris mas
| money fer? one Topeka youngster is
I quoted as asking of a younger bro
ther who heard a Poland lecture
Well, you'd given too if you had
heard what he told u.s. was the
youngsters reply. And a nickel from
the boys savings bank went into the
envelope.
They Sign Pledges.
All over Topeka, boys and girls OF
school age have received the en-.
Velopes. They bore printed pledge.
ana the youngsters promised never
meyer, never to defame thir bodies by
using tobacco in any form. It seem:
that feature of the lectures never
forgotten was the distribution of these
| envelopes and reference to the neeG
of financial as well as moral support
of the cause.
subscriptions come rather SLOWLY
these days." complained DR.. POLAND
today in apparent justification of the
policy of tapping Topeka kiddies
Christmas funds. with the war anC
Liberty Loan, Red Cross and Y. NJ. c
| A. campaigns, $the thought of givins
is directed in other channels
Money to Supt. Wilson
But the subscriptions are pouring il
and next week the envelopes will be-
turned over to Superintendent Wilson
, who will in turn give the money to the
, anti-toba cco campaigners.
From all over Topeka today the
State Journal received protests against
the cat killing demonstration, the ac-
, ton of public school officials in per
hitting the lectures and the policy OF
soliciting subscriptions through ap-
peals to childish fears and emotions
wouldn't it be well for some OF
), the school officials to explain the ex-
; tent to which propagandiSts and cru
) saders are permitted to take up the
time of the Topeka schools?" one
. prominent Topekan asked the State
/ Journal. wouldn't it be well fol
. ! someone to explain why children are
made victims of campaigns for funds
|, for all the foolish whims projected or
| the pubIic2 And wouldn't it be well
! to explain why children in the schools
: are subject to such demonstrations Of
| cruelty as were staged at the La
| fayette school to illustrate the alleged
evils of tobacco? ?"
The row over the Po1and-Gordor
lectures was gaining new force today
with hundreds of indignant parents
1 and school patrons on one side and