Evening star., 1923-01-09
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

I There is much discussion amongst
statesmen and other citizens about
the value Of tho "literscy test" for
trying out wouid-be immigrants.
What does 1t amount to. to discover
that Greek reads Greek or q Rus
sian reads Russian? The only test
that amounts TO any value for such
try-out is whether the immigrant is
willing TO learn to speak and read and
think American. There is room in
| America for 50, ,0oo, 900 more real Ameri-
cans, regardless OF their birthplace, but
it crowds US like the mischief" to know
mat there are In the District of Co
TO achieve Americanism. There is
mighty little room for undesirable
I citizens. and "ingrown" aliens are
Just that. Welcome to our city" il
zenship in due time. This seems to
be the idea of the chief justice, and
most Amer eIicans agree with 1t.
u y
Golf is dull game; tennis is insipid
base ball is algebra, and that is the
most exciting and thrilling fun i'll
| life. Ainsworth Rucker Is q teacher
OF mathematics--I mean of sporting
| mathematics or mathematical sport
| In the Shaw High School of Washing
ton. Two weeks ago he introduced
aigebrs1c base ball in his class. and
every problem is play. 1t is a con-
| test of wits in the class and is prov
ing a decided hit" No other fun
counts beside the algebra class, and
the game becomes so enthusiastic and
! noisy that it threatens to disturb all
the rest of the school
Later In the algebra course there
VIII be relay races. football problems
and regattas: No longer Is school
irksome. This recalls statement
quoted recently from q Chicago judge
that q diagnosis of the fiapper show
ed that her heart was all sound, but
her brain needed stimulating. for it
a pat. nsssSs Is to tae ae
algebra fan.
What is life without its enthusi-
asms? 1t is hard to reason out why
@ other p persons @ snt hasehs eaeh of itn Is knows
that If he lost his interest in his yo-
cation or his avocation life would be
| coloriess and dead. That 10 what has
happened TO school studies when the
student finds them dull and uninter-
| esting. Happy is the teacher who
can put enthusism into so dead a
| study as algebra. Win the algebra
game and you have won life itself,
4
value of *"
| The bill introduced by Senator
fBreokhart of Iowa, defining the legal
status of children under eighteen
years OF age and exempting them
from prosecution in criminal courts
for oKenses against federal law. is a
bold piece of proposed legislation and
will receive careful consideration by
all who are interested in child well
fare. 1t is proposed to substitute
United States parental court in place
of the criminal courts for trying child
offenders.
"One reason there has been no fed
| erai legislation along the juvenile
"is the pFohibitive constitutional pro
visions relative to due process OF
law But by the application
OF the law of responsibility of GER
legal responsibility under criminal
| law and establish a United States
parental court, or rather agency.
which will prevent the manufactur-
| ing of little children into responsible
citizens for legal or criminal prosecu-
| ton"
The intent of the bill is commended
| by friends OF children, but there ap-
pears some question as to whether it
does not extend the age limit too
high. Many hardened criminals de-
velop at the age of eighteen. Delhi
crate murders are committed at that
age or younger. In the case of girls.
they reach their age of full powers
and responsibility and come into pos
Eession of their inherited property at
eighteen. Psychological tests of
adults show very rarely any adult
that is psychologically older or more
developed than the mental age of
sixteen. As the theory OF the pro-
posed law Is to take account OF the
mental and moral responsibility OF
! the offender, a question seems to lie
as TO whether his years from birth
are what must be the guide or hrs
psychological '.msntai age,'I which is
really what impels him or restraints
him in his conduct and relations to
! society.
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