The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-20
ROTARY LEADER.
+! HITS NEGLECT !.
s: Of BOYS
Nv. L. Butcher OF N. Y. AssaiIs
Folly Of Letting Youth
Drift Into Crime

SDBUbS ubA0 SbNbbS
~ international News Service.
TORONTO, Canada, June 20.-Not
enough attention is being paid by
business men, parents, or welfare
workers to the growing boy, thou.
sands OF whom are drifting into
crime and undermining the social
order, William L. Butcher, Of New
York city, told the international
Rotarians' Congress here today.
The boy is more important than
all the money that passes through
your banks, than all the raw ma
terial that passes through your
mills" Butcher said. HE is the
person who is going to carry on
what you have started. You may
adopt what policies you please, but
how they will be carried out de-
ponds on him. He will assume con.
troll OF your cities. All your work
- for him. and the fate of the ma
Hons and Of humanity is in his
hands. So It might be well for you
% pay some attention to him.
commend this picture to all:
Criminals Under Is Years"
"A day or two since I selected
copies Of the public >press Of ten
different American cities. each
paper representing the court record
and sentences passed in one day.
In New York there were 80 sen.
fences: Chicago, %; Cincinnati, S;
Boston, z; San Francisco, 10; Los
Angeles. 8; New Orleans, 6; Kan.
eas City, 8; Seattle, 6; Oklahoma
City. "a total Of 108, all for major
crimes, and all the criminals under
twenty-five years OF age. Fifteen
tor murder, ten Of them to pay the
death penalty, the others with the
slow death Of life imprisonment; the
balance for banditry, burglary, rape,
arnbezzlemenk and granddaughter.
eThe psychologist would try to
explain the crimes away by saying
the boys were constitGtionally in
6ertor. Probably not per cent
could be accounted for in this way.
Environment is almost wholly re-
aponsible. They started as Juvenile
delinQuents, so the penologistS tell
Us. but juvenile delinquency is a
naisnomer. Adult inefficiency should
b the phrase.
Committed In Spare Time.
III we could analyze the record
We would find that practically ali
OF the crimes were committed in
spare time and that not one of
these unfortunate youths ever came
In contact with the splendid SPARE.
time agencies Of which there are
too few and. which even as they
are constituted. are undetermined
and under-financed.
Habits formed in childhood are
faster than colors dyed In wool.
The American crime bill figured by
The National Surety Company and
the National Association of Credit
Men is five billions a year-three
billions for crimes against property
alone Add to that the terrible loss
Of man power, the broken hearts,
the unfusfilled ambitions, the mis-.
directed energies, the lives Of misery
ana human wreckage and you will
go the moral and social loss is the
most serious thing to be considered.
Spend In Safeguarding"
When you add to this wassage
The two billions 1t costs the An,eri-
can nation alone to protect society
against crime and lawlessness
Through the courts, penal institu.
tions-then contemplate what a won
dertul investment it would have
been to spend this amount in safe.
guarding the lives of boys and girls.
1S society giving the handicapped
ooy. the underprivileged boy, that
0lsadvantaged boy a square deal?
It is time that business men who
pride themselves on their shrewd
judgment should think of these
things. not only from the view.
point OF sound business, but as a
protection to their own Industrial
enterprises.
In the United States almost ono
million boys will become voters this
year without any special training
IN the practical application of gov.
eminent"
Demonstration of the chief aim Of
Hotary-to tit individuals to func.
Gon as members of existing agen.
caeS; organizations, ETC., rather than
Is Hotar1ans-was an outstanding
feature Of the third day of the con.
Ventton here. This was particularly
notable In the manner in which the
international committee in charge of
boys work Is functioning, according
70 Hart Seely, Of Waverly, N. Y.
chairman Of that COMMITTEES. The
nanoung OF boys week, inaugurated
~ Rotary IN 1920. has already been
turned over to a national commit.
tee In the United States and Chair
man Seely reported that the inter.
national board Of directors of Rotary
has a1rendy authorized the calling Of
IN international conference of bow
work organizations which will meet
"a July to consider ways and means
meeting boy problems through
their respective organizations.
To promote better relations he.
tween the farmers and city dwellers
!s the great need of the day, and
Hotar1ans are In the finest strategic
position to do this, Frank o. Low.
den. former governor Of Illinois. told
Sne convention this morning.
This afternoon the report of the
election committee on the ballots
cast for the election of officers will
De announced, and Reverend Canon
Alan p. Stafford, of Montreal, will
make the closing address, after
which the officers will be installed
ana the convention adjourned. The
decision as to the city where the
next convention viii be held win
ne made BY the new board of direc.
tors elected today. Rio de Janiero.
CLEVELAND and Chicago are contend.
Ing for the honor.