The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-02
THE LONESOME %

Reams have been written. millions have been spent to
reclaim the erring woman. TO extend the helping hand to her
much OF the effort prolific in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
u~nOrganized work has been done in her behalf; but aside from
the work of. the Y. NJ. c, A.. Knights OF Columbus and the
Young Mems Hebrew association, little has been done for that
%throbbing, sympathycraving part OF the populace-the lonesome
boy
True, the activities OF the organized religious bodies have
been laudable, but what has become Of that body of young
men, loose loungers around alehouses. who worked now and
then, but often resorted again to their carousalSf
Laws sufficient have been enacted as deterrents to crime.
but would it not be infinitely better to deter crime at its source,
before the one deferred committed the act which brought the
arm Of authority across his PATH
Charemagne made Christians by baptzing men by hun
dreds. There is no record OF how many OF the inocuatons
stock"
Why couldn't our organizations meet Bolshcyism half way?
Not by making good conduct compulsory to all according to the
Bolshevik idea of what good conduct is, but by reaching out
and making, for example, the life OF a young man just arrived,
alone, in a strange city, more attractive?
Under proper restrictions why could not the fair ones who
used to knit sweaters aid in the work; Why are there not more
wholesome places OF amusement, where the vigorous man OF the
future would be solicited. if need be, to become a living, partici-
pating unit in the real pleasures and pastimes OF the populace
of the city?
Perhaps a canvass OF a nature could be made PERHAPS even
the police dockets could be useful, for many a lad gets on that
blotter to whom a kind word and a step upward might check
2 tendency toward crime Maybe some OF our incipient auto
bandits and %bootleggers could be reached and turned into good
citizens before the virus assumed the active form.
Organized work along this line has as a rule reached only
those who sought IT, and the large. shifting throng. daiy being
augmented by discharges from the army, with the problem Of
no employment, has been left to the mercy of the woman of
the street, the immoral hotel, the bootlegger and those who
patron1e HIM, and others to whom the boy wondering What
shall do tonight" too often falls a willing victim.
Insurance companies, realtors, in fact, almost all CONNER
y cal enterprises, have their solicitors. Why should the forces of
evil be allowed the greater part of the field for their prey, and
those OF good get only a little more than a small proportion
OF those who seek wholesome amusement?
Signs OF awakening in this line are shown in community
sings and the like, but could they not be multiplied? Boxing
and dancing schools, municipality owed If need be. could be
established III every downtown ward. and for nothing or a small
tee the hoy will nothing IN do" could ho rauaI.l ~ - -, ~
and morally strengthened, and the solicitor receive his hire in
life.
lake a canvass, ye welfare workers, of offices and shops-
aye, even the alleys and streets, and in a tactful way see how
many responses one would get TO an invitation to something
better than an evening spent in expensive pleasure, both to body,
mind, soul and efficiency -
Man must play to work well, even to hunt work we'll Let's
give him, young and old, more opportunity.