The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-04-21


greatest work is with the young,
keeping them straight rather
than reforming a generation that
has already gone wrong. The
Miami Herald discussing crime
has the following to say:
The Chicago Crime Commission,
after an extensive investigation,
using intelligence tests similar to
those adopted during the war for
the drafted men, presents the opinion
that low intelligence is not as i'm
portant a source of crime as has
been generally assumed The aver
age first offender, the commission
declares is not Predetermined and
measures up in mentality to ordin-
airy standards. Crime, according to
the findings of the Chicago board,
is "a reflection of character" rather
than of mentality. 1t is probable
that many of the most dangerous
criminals are both intelligent and
educated. They are able to plan
means of circumventing arrest in
such way as to indicate that in
absolute mentality they are far from
Predetermined.
Character is somewhat indefinite
thing, because Of varying standards
of life, but there is no question that
very few crimes do not result from
low moral standards, from incorrect
ideas of human life and property, or
from extreme selfshness. Sometimes
persons are forced by circumstances
into crime, who have no criminal
tendency, but such cases are rare.
Since this is true the shaping of
character along the proper lines be-
comes at least as important as the
cultivation of the mind. The sugges-
ton of the Chicago commission is
that there should be set up as pre-
tentative of crime clubs of boys and
girls, supervised by leaders who are
capable of understanding youth. This
is entirely in line with the proposal
of the Investigator of youthful delin-
quency who recently completed his
survey of this city.
When it comes to putting this
valuable suggestion into operation,
however, very considerable difficulties
arise 1t is not always easy to find
Leaders who are capable of under
standing youth. Youth is not so
simple and easy to comprehend.
One of the greatest obstacles to
extension of the work of the Boy
Scouts has been this very thing. The
scout movement, if it is to be sue
ce5sful, must have the right leader
ship and that is hard to find.
A sympathetic heart, wise head,
a willingness to undertake difficult
task-these are required for the
leadership of youth. People who
possess the requisite qualities are
too often deeply engrossed in work
which does not give them time for
this other service.
Why not ? There is quite a
bit of agitation for memorial
highways. What better way could
we take than to plant living
trees along our road as a living
memorial to our heroes ? Mem
orials are sometimes crude and
nearly always dead things, but
Roads of Remembrance" upon
which the worlds business is
done, over which the children of
today and tomorrow will travel
will keep the memory of those
we honor ever green.
A Missouri paper suggests that
in the hog census to be made by
the Department of Agriculture,
the end-seat hog and the road
hog should be counted in. Just
how this would affect the food
proposition is hard to tell-un-
less they fall into the classified
ton of food for thought.
Washington must be hard up |
for something to talk about when |
an United States Senator takes
time to criticize Chief Justice
Taft for dining out too much.
Next they will be reading all |
sorts of sinister meanings into
the color of his neckties.
Greece is said to be in tinan-
cial straits, but she isn't alone in
this condition from which all
Europe is suffering. But the fat |
is rather in the fire when inter
est can scarcely be met.
Some persons are born wor-
riers. They are even worrying
over what Princess Mary will do
with her twenty-odd tea sets.
Most of us are worrying on how
we are to acquire one.
STATE NEWS.
A booklet "a Vermont Opportun-
Apple Growing has
been issued by the secretary of state.
Mrs Julia E Harris of Vergennes
is quite ill as a result Of an infected
hand, caused by handling fern. One
n