Licking Valley courier., 1918-01-24

full mien.
That to be hated needs but to be
seen:
But,seen teo oft, familiar with
her face,
We first endure, then pity, then
embrace.
USUALLY in approaching the dis
cussion Of the Social Sin" we
seek to deal in vapid generalities
and to avoid the direct and local
application. Yet the standard of
virtue In each community is just
whatthe mothers of that COM
munity determine that it shall be-.
Ergo, why, then, should not the
mothers of the innocent girlhood
Of each community discuss the
things that are menace to the
purity Of their daughters candid
ly and prayerfully? The stanza
quoted above has a whole sermon
in four lines. Familiarity with
vice makes us tolerant toward it
and indifferent to its growth so
long as it don't invade our homes
or personally touch u.s.
An eminent sociologist who for
many years was a police justice
in New York City, stated recent
ly that his researches proved that
a majority of the wayward girls
had been influenced to take their
first step in vice by some girl as
sociate, usually older than her
self and clinging to the pretence
of respectability. And here lies
the danger to innocence Man,
in his assumption Of superiority,
accuses woman of being unfor-
giving toward her erring sisters,
and loves to quote the words OF
the Master to the woman taken
In the act of Auditory, forgetting
that the condition of Chrst's for
giveness was that the woman
should forsake her life of sin.
He said: Neither do | condemn
thee; tthhee go thy way and SIN nd
more Women know that it is
difficult for the woman who falls
to reform, and what is sometimes
termed the vindictiveness of wo'
man to her kind is merely the
mother instinct fighting against
the contamination of her young,
Man can not comprehend that in
stinct. Neither is man qualified
to Judge in such matters. for he
is not chaste himself. Woman's
virtue is a practice, mans virtue
is a theory.
Parents of girls frequently hul
the delusion that the fall of al
girls Is due to the seductive wile'
Of man. In facing a problem 81
vital to society it were we'll to d.
so candidly and recognize th'
fact that sex desire is as stronl
in girls as in boys. This realize,
the problem of protecting tn
girlsis easier. 1t is useless, il
this generation, to rail at tn
double standard of morals, unjus
though it be, for centuries-ol
traditions can not be eradicate
by the edict: "changeP' W
must prevent our girls from be
coming familiar with vice.
Familiarity does not necessar
ly mean association with the v
cious. A girl may become fami
lar with vice from its prevalenC
: in the community without con
ing In actual contact with tho:
who wear the scarlet letter.
is amazing that parents fond
trust that their daughters won
hear the salacious gossip of Il
neighborhood. And what mu
he her inexperienced thoughts
finding her parents tolerant to,
ard fragrant and notorious ir
morality? What can she thir
if the community reeks with Il
evidence Of unbridled licentiou
ness, and the mothers and fat
ers are Indifferent?
= y
Do you seek to know what
being whispered into your daug
ter's ears by those with who
she comes in contact? Is t
woman who does your hou:
, work a known prostitute, and
un,, allou, har q fnolinr of coo