Evening star., 1923-05-15
UNIONS ARE URGED
TO AID CHILDREN
Judge Sellers Stresses Need
for Vocation for Those Lag
ging in School Work.

Trades unions should attack the
problem Of backward children and
teach them a definite vocation. which
they could sell" in their life work,
Judge Kathryn Sellers of the Juvenile
Court of the District of Columbia de-
clared today before a group of po-
iicewomen, representing forty cities.
gathered as part of the national con-
ference of social work. Judge Sellers
addressed the policewomen at the
: Juvenile Court after a mock trial had
been held to show the method of the
work of the policewomen connected
with the Washington police depart
ment.
. She said a large proportion of de-
linquent and backward children In
Washington and elsewhere come from
= the group which fails in Its studies
in the schools. The educational IN
: stitutions Of this country. Judge Sell
: lers added, have a grave response
quency. The schools should take the
backward students. give them special
tuition. and should strive in every
!. way to bring them up to the proper
mark in their studies. she said. not
only with the thought of passing a
decreasing Juvenile delinquency.
Hope for New Laws.
When we have law in Washing
ton preventing minor children from
being on the streets at night, and
found, and when we have other laws
which tend toward a decrease In ju-
venile delinquency. we hope We shall
be able to prevent many children
from going wrong" Judge Sellers de-
clared.
She added that she believed the
work of juvenile courts throughout
the nation was decreasing and that
probably the juvenile court ultimate
ly would be merged into a larger
court. which should have greater dis
ciplinary powers than the present
Discussion of the Juvenile delin-
quency problem in the United States
was led by Mrs. Minnie Rowland
director of the women's division OF
"a. Many of the delegates questioned
Judge Sellers and Mrs. Rowland about
legal points In connection with pre-
vention Of juvenile delinquency. Be.
fore going to the Juvenile Court the
policewomen heard reports from re.
gional chairmen of the international
Association of Policewomen.
Discuss Method.
This afternoon the delegates will
hear discussion of the Los Angeles
method of training delinquent girls
In which physicians from st. Eliza.
beth's Hospital, members of the
Washington policewomen's bureau
md civic workers, will join. The dele.
.;ates will attend Police Court trial
u Judge Hardison's court tomorrow
morning.
~ nIx 0f T~AApatanAfnR
notwithstanding the handicaps that
-xist in much of the work of police.
women because of lack of under
standing on the part of their supe-
.iors. there Is a great deal OF prog
-ess in the work OF policewomen. Mrs
Mina C. Van Wrinkle. president of the
International Association of Police
women, reported at the meeting last
night. - n,,,..,orn.r
this year than we were able to repor,
last year, but we are not in posses.
sion of the exact number. Socia
service organizations and women's
clubs generally appreciate the serv.
ice rendered by the best policewomen
Commissioners Of public safety and
police commissioners have recognized
that policewomen. organized into q
unit with a woman in charge. can dc
the best women's work in police de.
i:irtment"
Details Her Experiences.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle detailed some OF
ler experiences in European cities
which she visited during the pas,
winter. She said in London the WON.
n are obliged to wear a uniform &c
ugly that 1t looks as II 1t had beer
designed by their enemies. The vice
situation in Berlin Is "hideous." she
said. adding that in Austria the po-
licewomen are doing an excellent
piece Of work under the handicap Of
poverty.
More elastic divorce laws were ad.
vocated by DR.. Edith Hooker of Bal
timore in an address yesterday. One
OF the benefits. she declared. would
be q decrease in vice. Love shoult
be the binding tie in marriage, DR.
Hooker said, but when 1t disappeari
artificial marriage ties should not be
continued. She also urged that birth
control be sanctioned by legislation.
Tho meanest burglar on record hal
been discovered. He broke into q
bakers shop. and. finding only some
small change as plunder. took a sim
gle bite of every pie and cake in the
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