East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-11-04
CITY LIFE IS BLAMED
FOR YOUTHS DOWNFALL

SAN FRRANCIsCO, Nov. 4,-U.
PIN the last analysis, city life" IS
blamed by Captain of Detectives Dun
can matheson, veteran head of the
detective bureau, for the arrest or
GlO boys and girls in San Francisco in
the past two months. Arrests have
been made at the rate of eight or
nine day since October !.
About 400 were boys, and the rest
girls. All were under 81 years of age,
and nearly half were under II. One
arrest of boy as young as 10 was
made.
Lack Of proper home environment,
lack of attention by parents, domestic
difficulties, and lack of religious train
ing are the immediate causes of these
arrests declared Captain Matheson.
Captain Matheson believes, however,
that city life, especially in apartment
house districts, Is one Of the principal
troubles. He explains his idea in this
manner:
"One plot of grass around the house,
and n few trees, will do more to keep
boys and girls straight than anything
else. They go wrong when they run
the streets for amusement.
THAT doesn't necessarily mean that
the, majority of boys and girls reared
In cities and in apartment houses
aren't just as good, or just as well
brought up as those in smaller cities
or the country. The country and small |
towns have their own troubles.
What I mean is that in cases or /,
lack of proper home life, lack of care
or training by parents, boys and gir.,
naturally tend to keep themselves
straight, and to indulge in healthy,
honest amusement, when they have a
Bit Of yard, or someplacc that IS more
like home than an apartment--some !
place where they aren't cooped up in
doors with other people.
Neglect In Home blamed.
when there Is neglect in the homo,
youths get out of it. II thoy are in n |
district of homes and yards, where
there Is a chance for healthy amusc- ,
ment, they find 1t there.
f"1f they run the streets for amuse-
ment, they are very likely to drift into ,
bad company and bad env ronment
without any particular effort, or any
definite desire o" lhe! part to do 50.
They are impressionabe, and get OH
on the wrong path almost as easily az
they choose the right enc if given a
chan.c
The $40 boys and girls who " re or
rested had charges ranging from pet
ty larceny to murder placed against
them,
Among the boys arrested there were
chauffeurs, laborers. peddlcrs, eleva-
tor boys, school boys, clerks. errand
boys, and office boys. Among the
girls arrested there were domestics,
school girls, dancers, stenographers,
and few young housewives.
4 a gang Of 20 boys, all under 49,
were arrested for grand larceny and
robbery. A gang Of thugs. all under
~, were arrested. and shotgun
squad from headquarters was neces-
sary to take them into custody.
Seventy-five per cent of the boys
were offenders against property, and
the other rs per ceng were immoral.
With the girls 75 per cent were ar
rested for immortality, and the other
26 per cent for other causes. Two
girls, II and l8, who left their home ,
In Idaho, came TO San Francisco and
went in for n career of shopliftne. \
Young Men Are Held.
One II year old boy is being held in
the city jail on II, charge of attacking /
n girl. Another of the same age is @
being held for attempted holdup. The [
first said he had been drinking moon- {
shine and his act was done while tot
tering from itg effects Tho othar .ott / =,