The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-05-21
WHERE DO THEY ALL co.

National statistics just pub
lished inform us that siXty-fve
thousand girls disappeared in the
United States last year. The
majority were lured to the big
cities from the small towns and
farms. They have dropped from
sight, and their fate is an I'M
solved mystery. These figures
were presented to the National
Congress Of Mothers and Parent
Teachers associations convention
in Washington.
Where do these girls 90, and
why do they go? The first ques-
ton is matter for the police de
partments and for the various
civic associations. The where
abouts of the wanderers evidently
remains mystery so far as these
authorities are concerned. Many
Of the unfortunates will eventu-
ally turn up in the criminal
courts, the slums Of larger cities,
and later in the Bethel and SIM
liar homes, landing with certain
finality in the divorce courts.
Why do all these young women
leave home? Undoubtedly the
longing for strange sights, the
lure of excitement, the desire for
fine clothes, the irksomeness of a
restricted life, all have much to do
with the exodus. AT the same
time, it many parents would make
a short examination of conscience
the wonder would be that more
girls, and boys, too, do not
abandon the family circle and
strike out for adventure and hap
piness.
Does the fault lie entirely with
the young people themselves
Emphatically parents in too many
eases are directly to blame. The
home at present has been per-
mitted to deteriorate to such an
extent that with parental author
lty on the wane and outside in
f1uences clamoring for attention,
il is not cause for surprise that
young blood should feel the throb.
the urge, that drives it forward
to more eongenial climes, to more
satisfying surroundings.
! If home were all that the name
has ever signifed; if it were a
place where real love and affec-
ton dwell; if parents took a
genuine interest in the lives of
their children, in their interests,
their joys and pleasures; if, in a
word, the child were trained to
obedience and a proper respect
for authority, perhaps fewer
wandering lads and lassies would
be chronicled in the missing
columns.
/ A home where religion is re-
spected; where father and mother
manifest true affection for each
other and for their offspring:
where rancor and quarreling and
\ ill-will and everlasting naggine
are absent, is not the usual point
OF departure for the disaffected
younger member Of the family
/ Considering the number Of fami
lies that tolerate, or even cult
waite, profanity, obscenity, harsh
treatment of one another, Will
daily battles" thrown in, the
wonder grows that there are only
sixty-five thousand girls checked
up on the missing list. If police
and civic authorities would make
it a point to thoroughly investi
gate each family that reports {
missing daughter or son, Their,
often would be revealed a condi
ton of squalid and sordid lif,
that would drive any self-respect
ing young person to abandon sucl
, disreputable surroundings.
In spite Of all this, however
, there is still the personal facto
that must account for the disap
! pearance Of some individuals
! The Wandering Jew of legen,
will ever have a certain following
f persons who are urged onward b
| a restless spirit that will brool
E no permanent habitation. But il
1 final analysis it will be found tina
4 at the bottom of all the trouble
: a definite looseness Of morals tina
!, exists in the home, is felt in tn
4 dance hall, the theater, and FIRE
4 quently wherever young peopl
r congregate.
Fl Correct home abuses, and tn
majority OF young girls and boy