Evening journal., 1919-02-11

eNpTcescl
organization, is reported said his organization had
further interest In the matter.
While these things were transplring. and before
Council had nt to pay Mr. Wentze, the Proba-
on Onlcer its share Of his salary. he resigned without
any OF the members Of the association suspectlng he
intended to do So They urged him strongly to
slider the matter and help to Tight it as to keep
the Juvenile Court Of politics. but he seadfasty
fuses be enjoyed with squabbe Of this kind when
as he put H. he could do just good work somewhere
else without being bothered by having to Tight for the
opportunity TO do Following that, Philip Burnet
resigned as President OF the Juvenile Court Association
because Of his hope that by getting out entirely he
be free to do what he pleased without running
the risk Of embarrassing either the association the
Juvenile Court
The important thing for the sake Of the children who
come before the court 10 keep IL out Of politics No
one will deny that II would be than criminal TO
use our delinquent children as pawns in the political
game This Is the very thing which the Juvenile Court
viii always have TO combat because OF the large political
power TO be obtained through The medium OF a Chief
Probation oflcer who will allow himself TO be used.
The nature OF the work requires that the Probation
Onncer be given wide powers Of discretion. Perhaps
half the cases which come into the depend in
way another upon his discretionary powers.
Suppose boy or girl has been placed on probation;
what easier than for the Probation ocer 10 hold his
power the heads Of the father and mother II he
choose TO do so7
With upwards Of a thousand cases brought into the
court every year. that measure OF control
over thousand or votes TO say nothing OF the
additional votes TO be controlled among The people whose
children, although not brought into court happen to
commit devltry Of one kind another
II is question whether the power Of the Police
Department itself. from political viewpoint. Is any
greater than that Of the Juvenile Court If anyone Is
unscrupuous enough TO It.
II because Of this possibility that the people be-
hind the Juvenile Court Association careful
10 where TO hodge the power OF appointing the Chief
Probation 01lcer II not given TO the Judge Of the
Juvenile Court. to the Resident Judge OF New
Castle county, but 10 the Superior Court which
that all lve judges Of the State Including the Chief
Justice must agree TO the appointment Thus the sp-
pointing power removed. as far possible. from
political influence
Yet Council attempts to arrogate to Itself power
which, il successfully exercised cannot fail,
later to plunge the Juvenile Court into politics and
thus 10 subject thousands OF helpless children TO the
INSCRIPTIONS wlles OF the rottenes kind politics.
Moreover there is talk at Dover Of sort Of egs-
laton regarding the Juvenile Court which Is probably
Intended TO weaken its detachment from politics
We have just seen in our neighborng city Of Phla-
delphla what happens when the police get into politics,
but II is easily conceivable that Infinitely worse things
could happen right here in Wilmington il the Juvenile
Court gets mixed up In the political game.
Just what II
Look at few Of the children
Here is a stray waif without enough to eat
There Is a splendid boy who has been running wild
because his mother Is dead and his father is in the
Workhouse.
Then a couple Of alert boys who look like twins and
whose mother and father complain that they can't
troll them although they only eight years
old; the mother ought to be spanked and the father
kicked out Of the court
Presently in bouncingly radiant colored
hand who look though they have been scrubbed with
scrubbing brush their clothes spick and span and
the whole trio is smiling at the court
She just in 10 show the Judge the two little |
orphans who had been committed to her and 10 ask
him TO send her some more.
Then group Of husky youngsters who have been !
shooting at a pacsrd marked Explosives" tackled TO
It their lives because Il seems that the small boy
Is unable to resist shooting at a target
We have said nothing about the girls There
scores of them Of all age. from tots TO teens OF
they furnish the hardest problem handle for
which easily be Imagined
Think using these children for political purposes
Can you imagine anything horrible2
II Is high time for the people TO realize what City
Council Is doing when It undertakes perhaps without
clearly understanding the effect TO usurp power which
has been so carefully withheld from and which, for the
best Of good reasons is vested by In the highest pos
Of whom must agree TO the appointment Of the Chief
Probation Oncer and who under the constitution cannot
all belong TO the political party.
The trouble Is that in the whole nearly everyone
is forgetting the children.
Just keep them firmly in your mind. Let their well
fare be the only consideration. you easily stir
up a sentiment that will put nearly everyone strongly
behind you in any sincere effort that you ut to make
No one can do a bigger thing than TO out the
champion Of the youngsters who have to speak
for them.
The thing really ought TO be carried further. We
ought not to be satisfied with blocking attempts 10 bring
the Juvenile Court politics. but ought to be able
TO Bring enough pressure on the Legislature TO make it
give the Juvenile Court enough money to pay the right
kind Of Probation oflcer and to meet the other
penses which must now be borne by the Juvenile Court
Association and which the association raises through
private subscription.
Think Of having the Municipal Court or the County