The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-01-21
AS 1T SEEMS TO ME.
DANA SLEETH
N7EAR EDITOR: am a boy fifteen years old, and
~ got into bad company Since read about Isonl
SS711 White aud Joe Morton and John kReip and chat

L -
66T1l White aud Joe Morton and John Kneip and ,chat
they got, was so broke Up that can't sleep nights
II has learned a mighty b0 lesson and I'm going TO
90 straight from
JOB in the shpyards during the aud got 10 meet
lots of boys about icent TO the different boys
houses aud bHmmed around Nth their gang for diche
And can't get hotC tough they Just about
erery Kid in the bunch orned gun AZ first they said
scared my dad icod most Kill II he found out bat
they said TO ditch the in the lumber yard One Of the
had to 90 to the reform school and he said could hare
it for IS.
had that gam about month The other fellops al
.ays talking about holding mp place and about all
back out, they asked II going to be sissy: that
hurt ny feelings so stuck When used 70 read about
he different rob9er'es ~ Seattle kneo that one Of these
T,co Of them did get caught bm by luck didn't sQuea
guess they icos too smart for the Seattle cops.
In year learned about crooked 'oork than
bat, belere they Amt got anything the Sc
etk II yoa rant TO find snn yoH irH find IL in the
I'm thru nth the gang, because knoto that bad CON-
pany can get feow in bad think lot Of this robbery
negot hold Of guns place and are carrying them
around Inerer such torn chere many boys
think If you could find chere all these guns come
from, and put stop to H. there cod be lot Of boys
times thought II cop only nelc half Of some kids
know they ,couh be able TO catch lot of crooks
told you just chat my mind ! could ten you lot
about the acfm things boys oct into. and about
fiends darent sign my name because dad icouh sure
XIII me If he knec. Your Friend JOHN. ISOM, JOE.
my SON, close call; it is hard to straight
lVI when the pack is running wild, and many
ri spected and dignifed citizen in this mans town.
- way down in his heart knows that but for the in
finite mercy of compassionate Christ and at all be-
of his own merit wisdom, did he. a boy, miss
Most boys naturally tough that is they naturally
bold, reckless, daring. hateful Of restraint.
In my youth had the dime novel and revolver habit
and many right smart whaling got for I the same
almost every family church buwark and where city
vice. and the ser temptations and the lure of the crook
movie unknown
boy until he wakes up-ths is my experience has
certain conscience he in the savage stage warrior
property rights and human rights and the decences of civ
ization are but words to him.
Sometimes he wakes up with the shadow of the galows
his head sometimes he wakes up with the dope habit
fixed on his very heart sometimes he comes out of him.
self and discovers that the biggest fool in the world the
boy who magines that he steal and play dirty
tricks and dee his mind and abuse his body and not be
caught.
Nine times out of ten is caught by poor stumbling
human law always he is caught by the certain moving of
But you can't get this into boys head by ecturing
by preaching nor by whaling he has to find it out for
himself and all this be good and you'll be happy" stuff
is drive to any wo-fised lad who in his secret heart
despises these softies who prattle to him.
rT1HE BOY CRIMINAL is the worst criminal in the
ETs5 the sting of the laws lash, he has respect for
U10 human life, except abstract theorem.
And the city tough boy, the lad with gun and a sniff
Of dope is the hardest specimen in the universe and yet
he is not criminal are criminals, and when given
chance by real man. like Judge Lindsey he usually
clean.
The biggest force for the reclamation of tough boys
day Boy Scout movement and the serner its code
and the less Of Horato Ager jr preachmen the scouts
get, the better for them.
And while parent can't do much because the toughest
boys ever traed with preachers sons, and while
bone environment won't alone boy, still parent
ran do something lie can refrain from turning his boy
loose at the age of fifteen to play with youthful bandits
and dope fiends and he be friend enough with his
boy 80 the boy will not fear him, despise him;
fathers despsed than feared tho the fathers never
know il.
Stick to it. son you the only trail that will get
You anywhere and If you will notice every of the
who stays with the game will get his watch and
And now will of serious effective discursive
and pretenous reform bodies arise and make few
rIys1