The Washington herald., 1917-06-18
HONoRING THE SMALL BOY.
By DOROTHY DIX.
The worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer.

In Japan the fifth of May Il
sacred to the small boy. 1t Is the
boys festival, and q national holi,
Sa;..ho,a SaM on that day above ever
flags wave. and from tall standards
boys symbolvfor even as the carr
swims upstream against the cur
rent. so must a boy breast the diff.
GIn the house. in the inner room
. scroll depicting some scene in.
spiring to q boys Imagination Il
brought forth and hung up in the
kokemone and underneath IL Is
erected a. boys altar, resplendent
with effigies Of the shoguns in hei.
daimyos, and stern two-swordec
samurai of the past, and the natty
sailors and soldiers of the present
Before this are placed more stan.
dards with bright hued banners and
tiny carp, and piles of glitterinR
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 flled with
myriads of chubby checked little
lads. wearing the smile that won't
come on. and sucking on adaman-
proudly exhibit their gifts to each
other.
1t is a picturesque and beautiful
sight to thus see a whole nation
taking a day on to pay tribute tc
the small boy, and # is a custom
own country where boys as a class
are without honor. and none are &C
poor as to do them reverence.
or course individually we adore
our own particular small boy. but
all others Of the male species, be-
tween the time they cut on their
Fauntleroy curls and grow a mus
coupled with fear and dread. To
our minds they typify noise and
dirt and vandalism, and destruction
and a demoniac inventiyeness that
skaters quiet, and does away with
all comfort and composure.
ments to those known to possess
small boys. real estate depreciates
when they move into q community
and we would sooner hear that a
visitor was bringing with her a
raging lion and a wild hyena than
her precious Tommy and Johnny.
Perhaps the reason that the
American small boy is such a pest
in our midst is because he senses
that We regard him' as an Ishmael
and he therefore unconsciousIy
takes the outcast's revenge upon
society. Certainly we do not give
him a square deal when we force
him to live in cities, in tiny band
box flats where there is no space
for his activities and energies, and
where. he is forced out on the
streets in order that older people
may not be driven by him into in
sane asylums.
Every boy is entitled to be raised On
farm where there is enough room
for him to move about his hobble-de-
hoy feet and hands without knocking
things over. and where he can veil all
he likes without breaking the peace
When we deprive him OF his birth
right OF this freedom II is no wonder
that we so often make him a criminal,
and nearly always convert him into a
sore trtbulation to endure.
No, boys do not get a 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 house? That is al
ways given to the girls. ANY sort OF
an attic chamber. or dark, cubby hole
Is thought good enough for the bows
and they invariably fall heir to the
hardest mattresses and the most de-
iapidated furniture in the family.