The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-08-16
PITTsBURG's MORAL COURT
Tempering Justice with Common Sense
Is the Principle.

lis the Principle.
Preaching that the chief trouble With
Pittsburg humanity is human beings.
Tensard DE Wolf has deeply stirred
the life of the city by seeking to i'm
prove its human nature not BY eugen
les, but by cutting off in a novel way
the source of supply of large part
of the Migrants, tramps. the human
family. Most bad men. he SAYS, were
bad boys; and most bad boys are go
because Of environment rather than
heredity. So De Wolf, after many
years Of dealing with bad men in mu
nicipal politics as secretary of the sot
ers' league, in which capacity he was
instrumental in sending dozen or so
to prison, is now concentrating his at
tention on preventive measures based
on the idea Of catching them young.
He does it through the instrument
tality of what is called Morals
court" though some other name would
be more appropriate, Of which he is
the Judge though he is not a law
yer. II is formal magistracy infor
mally administered, with greater moral
than legal powers, which seeks TO curve
various social evils rather than 10
punish the offendefs-though it is
based on authority and does not err in
the direction of maudlin sympathy
The main idea is to give erring boys
fair chance by correcting the envi-
ronments that have overpowered them.
The average bad boy is from a weak,
inefficient. bad or demoralized family.
He doesn't get from family life what
he is entitled to. Judge De Wolf seeks
to give him substitute, with the
state. instead of the father, welding
the strap of chastisement and uttering
the voice of counsel and direction.
The court consists in its outward as
pect Of few rooms and a few chairs I
and settees, DeWolf. the hoy or boys |
in the case, compliments, friends, rel /
atives. etc. The method OF procedure /
is that Of the family or the neighbor |
hood group. The ofTense or problems,
or whatever it may be, is talked over I
in free and easy style. The Judge
is recognized as sort of. great ia
Their" TO all the little savages of Pitts
burg. and so when any of them have
been on the warpath against the social
order a general powwow Of all inter
ested is held in his presence Some
times they all talk at once, aud more
irrelevant than relevant material is
adduced The judge takes hand now
and then with an incisive question or
q word Of wisdom. Out Of this meeting
comes rather generally accepted con-
rlusion that the facts are thus and 50
and that the course the Judge advises is
about right"
OF a typical morning comes a boy
accused Of having stolen bicycle from
his employer. a merchant The ease
4 clear. The boy admits his guilt
a. do most bows in this court of no
rial but of straightforward -nvcsti-
cation. He has some sort Of excuse
% offer, but the employer is impatient
II this informal court. and demands
ignal punishment. There is need, he
avs. for an example
This looks pretty bad for YOU"
ay- the Judge putting his hand on
he frightened boys shoulder, but,
Invwav. you didn't lie about it Pretty
orry now. aren't YOU Think You'll
yer do it again if We get YOU another
hanrc =
"No.~ .sys the boy emphatieallv.
What do you say Says the Judge,
urning TO the employer
Well. this stealing must be stopped.
Ie stole the bicycle, he admits ii and
ught 10 be punished
Let's see about that answers the
ldge. IF YOU insist III have n turn
he boy over 10 the juvenile court.
there. on the undisPutrd facts. h. will
p sent 10 the workhotise and branded
or life ] dom; think be j. really had
be fact j. that I don't believe there
= Twin. man who didn't steal some
hing ~ other when 81 was a bid.
hen his life was IN miniature store
-e How about yourself VIII aog
wear that you never stole snythiBst