The Washington times., 1922-04-25


ests fighting the railroads and
one of the most brilliant men
practising before the Interstate
Commerce Commission, who seeks
SenatOrship from Iowa.
breaks DER the radiant light of a
pleasant evening. 1t stole upon the
women who had come to Washing
ton, in cruel, mocking way. 1t
seemed heartless, unreliable, swift
and deadly.
"The men returned to their fami-
lies, when they were no longer need
ed at the national desk. For, So
phisticated men almost always feel
the stronger tie of the home they
made, especially If there are chill
dren in 1t. To them, it is a game,
played, lost or won, but played just
the same.
Awake From Dream.
THE girls awoke from their
dreams too late. Devoted families
awaited them at home, but very few
went back. Some were ashamed to
go; some were afraid to go. Their
families grew disappointed, morose,
afraid lest harm had come to their
girls. They communicated with the
authorities, and the authorities got
in touch with the local police, and
in many cases the local police COM
mitted grave errors by arresting
girls whom they claimed were bad.
Then our bureau was formed.
Congress authorized force of twen-
ty policewomen to look after more
than 10000 war-workers. And since
al L., l. zl,v II "A
ment free.
THE knife OF economy affected
the working girls of America in per-
haps harder manner than the SOL
diers who served in the trenches.
For most of the young women were
inefficient, and these were the first
to go.
Down came the knife, with Just
precision. Off went the girl. She had
been earning the minimum Of 81 $50
a year for doing practically nothing
Where is she EVER going to get
that again?
Our main service is not to arrest
girls that are incurably bad. 1t is
really to make girls responsible mem.
bers of society. Girls. unless they
have had very poor home training,
do not want to be really bad. And
we have found very few girls who
are really bad.
Then there is always the legal
problem. No city is better than its
police department. We knew that
arrests must be made. We all want
thieves caught. None of us want
murders committed. Houses of i'll
fame must be shut. The press an
nounces in startling headlines this
type of police work, and each men,
ber of a community realizes these
things.
But how many Of us think OF the
origin for a great many crimes? How
many of us get down at the bottom
of the social evil today? l warrant
it is very few.
Preventive Work.
Preventive and protective work
are a part Of the police program just
as much as the terribly legal side.
And i believe that the day is not far
distant when the members Of the
community will realize the tremen-
dous opportunity for preventive and
protective work in the control of
juvenile delinquency.
Yes, you will argue, there are
many preventive and protective ways
in which a police force can be OF
use. There is the traffic officer.
There is the red lantern on a dam
aged sidewalk. We have the red flag
near blasting. There is the officer to
enforce health regulation in con-
gested districts. And we think of
first aid when we hear an ambulance
bell.
How. many OF us think Of first
aid to the unprotected daughters out
of employment i'm the National Capt.
tai? Washington Is the seat of Gov
ernment of the United States, for
which the citizens of every State in
the Union are equally responsible
with the local residents. To this city
| you send your lawmakers. You don't
want to make ii the city of young
| lawbreakers.
There are urgent needs here in
| the District for proper means to
| care for those who como under the
! supervision of the bureau with which
/ am connected. The nation ought
| TO know them. II ought to think
! them over. Your daughter, your
sister. your wife may still be here.
! II you want her properly cared
! fer. IL you want her future safe
guarded, think of those things.
Funds should be appropriated
by your Congress for several
things. First we need reform
atory for women over seventeen
years of age: and we need an in
stitution for the segregation Of
feehlcminded. We need iurisdic-
ton in the Juvenile Court over
girls up to the age of twenty-one
and over.
I'VE should have a curfew law
preventing children under sixteen
years from attending dance halls
! unGccompanlcd Ivy guardians. We
need desertion law 10 include
women who should be held respon-