Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-11-13

To the Editor OF the Rogue River
Courier, Grants Pass. Ore,
Dear Sir;
Grants Pass has again suffered It's
yearly visitation OF halloween SINH
lar to many which have gone before,
and although numerous inhabitants
may be bereft OF certain amount
OF goods and chattels, u feeling of
security is once more settling over
the vicinity. and rs one OF the towns
people remarked: "Now think we
are safe for another year"
How long must this nuisance en-
dure, and to what good does this
wild West" custom tend, OF free
license for an annual reversion to
hoodlumism and savagery on the
part OF the younger generation, 80
that wild hordes OF irresponsible
children must be permitted to roam
the streets at night with the oh.
vious intention of destroying the
property OF the patient and unof-
Tending population. and OF the COM
mission OF any lawless acts which
their unframed and undeveloped
brains may dictate?
/ have seen communities where
parents believed that the place for
their children was at home after
dark, and where the authorities
deemed It consistent with their duty
to protect the property OF the citi-
zens.
l have seen communities where
halloween could pass and not a gate
or flower be disturbed; where John
ME and Susie could make a Jack-o-
lantern out OF pumpkin, and play
ing their tricks at home have just
as good a time as II turned loose
on the streets to give free rein to
their hoodlum inclinations.
Not so the youth OF this commun-
ity; too long has their lust for des-
truction been INDUCED TO be content
with Jack-o-lanterns and halloween
pranks In their own dooryards, John
ME Smiths only fun on halloween
consists in the performance OF few
such cute and original little tricks on
the neighbors as stealing Mr.
Browns gate or demolishing Mrs.
Browns flower bed. In these acts
he is animated by the same spirit as
the Germans in their devastation OF
France malicious destruction OF
property. and without even the ex-
cuse Of war is doing in his small way
what he can to initiate them, and
still the bulk OF the people, with the
exception of the victims. encourage.
laugh at and applaud him. Yet. no
doubt Johnnie signed pledge In
school not to waste anything" but
II he has five minutes Joy In laying
waste Mrs. Browns flower bed, what
imports IL that she loses the labor
OF months? 1t is such fun TO John
ME to watch the beautiful flowers
droop their unhappy heads at an un-
timely death, while he strikes them
down in his insane glee! 1t 1t were
his mothers flowers demolished. or
his fathers gate stolen. no doubt
Johnnie would receive his Just re-
ward. but his parents connive at and
permit him to work his evil deeds
secretly in the dark on the neigh
bors. Just as a joke, you know, hop
ing that under cover OF the darkness
he will escape detection. And then,
what fun for the Smith family to
laugh at the discontinue OF the
Browns.
Another phase OF the matter is the
effect Of such unrestricted conduct
on the character of the children
themselves and still another, the en-
and opportunity given
to the hoodlum of more mature
years to execute his evil designs
without fear Of penalty on a night
given over to lawlessness and pill
age.
But until the sentiment OF the
is changed and civiliza-
tion strikes the "Wild West" or un-
til the youth of the day are taught
to have regard for the rights OF