The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-08-06
AND COMMON SENSE.

Theodore NJ Knappen, in Harper's
Magazine: Preaching that the chief
trouble with Pittsburgh humanity is
human beings, Tensard De Wolf has
deeply stirred the life OF the city by
seeking to improve its human nature
not by eugenics, but by cutting Of
in a novel way the source of supply of
large part Of the Migrants. tramps.
inefficients, and criminals that infest
the human family. Most bad men,
he says, we're bad boys; and most
bad boys are so because Of environ
ment rather than heredity. So De
Wolf, after many years of dealing
with bad men in municipal politics as
secretary of the voters league, in
which capacity he was instrumental in
sending a dozen or SO to prison, is
now concentrating his attention on
preventive measures based on the
idea Of Catching them young.
He does it through the instrument
tally of what is called morals
court" though some other name
would be more appropriate, of which
he is the Judge" though he is not
lawyer 1t is a formal magistracy
informally administered, with greater
moral than legal powers. which seeks
to cure the various social evils rather
than to punish the offenders-though
It is based on authority and does not
err in the direction of maudlin sym
patly. The main idea is to give err
ring boys a fair chance by correcting
the environments that have overpow-
cred them The average bad boy is
from a weak, inefficient, bad, or de-
rnoralized 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 chas-
tisement and uttering the voice OF
counsel and direction.
The court consists in its outward as
pect Of few rooms and few chairs
and settees, De Wolf, the boy 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 offense or problem,
or whatever it may be, is talked over
in free and easy style. The Judge
IS recognized as sort of great fatn-
err to all the little savages OF PITTS
burgh, and SO when any OF them nave
been on the war-path against the So
cial order a general powwow OF all
interested is held in his presence.
Someti mes they all talk at once, and
more irrelevant than relevant material
ia adduced The judge takes hand
now and then with an incisive ques-
ton or a word of wisdom. Out Oh
this meeting comes a rather generally
accepted conclusion that the facts are
thus and SO and that the course the
Judge advises is about right
OF typical morning comes a boy
accused Of having stolen bicycle
from his employer, merchant. The
case is clear The boy admits his
guilt, as do most boys in this court
OF no trial but Of straightforward in
yestigation He has some sort OF ex-
cuse to offer, but the employer Is i'm.
patient of this Informal court, and
demands signal punishment. There
is need, he says. for an example.
This looks pretty bad for YOU
says the Judge, putting his hand on
the frightened boys shoulder, but
anyway, you didn't lie about it. Pretty
sorry now, aren't you? Think you'll
ever do it again II we get you another
lchance?"
/ No" says the boy. emphatically.
what do you say?" says the judge,
turning to the employer.
| We'll this stealing must be