Evening star., 1924-07-25

property nor acknowledged in legal
right to the liberty in life given only
by law to adults. yet they are allow
ID mentally and morally to forage
their way through every field of
literature. through every weird cult,
to delve into every strange philosophy
with no more direction than that Of
their own immature minds, without
life's real experience to guide them.
Thus these mentally alert and emo
tionally unbalanced youths were per-
mitted to drift where they would.
with no guide but their own un-
tutored egotism. their own eager.
wild, undiSciplined minds.
Led Afield by Teachings.
Thus it is we account for this exy
treme and exceptional crime of two
infants Cat law, as to their property,
even if not as to their morals and
mentality who, unbridled and un-
disciplined. are allowed the mental
freedom, without adult direction, to
roam at will-amidSt the pitfalls that
adult civilization opened up to them.
They drifted into the dangers that
certain adult minds have made for all
misdirected youth. Thus in Loeb and
Leopold we. find two childhood
wrecks, beating against the rocky
mental shores Of the Schopenhauers
and the Nietzsches with their pessi
mism. their atheism, their materialism,
to which is added the filthy sex
eroticism of the sixteenth century. In
wreck are two youths who might
have been glorious in their fine capac-
tiles, if rightly directed, nor abaSed
by this adult pessimism and despair.
doing murder of a poor child to salts
fy their jaded appetites and per
verted brains. And for what? New
sensations. new adventures. new
thrills. The pity of it, when we con-
slider all the big purposes to which
those marvellous intellects might have
been directed.
Might Have Aided Race.
What have parents and teachers to
say about the failure of these two
minds to interest themselves, as an
eminent Jewish rabbi has well said,
even in the problems of their own
race-to say nothing of all the great
problems of all races-instead of sur
rendering themselves to wild and un-
natural passions?
Why is it that two youths with
such native ability should be without
ideals and without responsibility in
life. should be allowed to drift into
this moral anarchy when they might
have busted themselves through their
God given talents in noble service?
Questions Parents knowledge.
How many other parents are there
in this nation who are dense TO the
fact that the great stream or modern
youth is flowing by them with all the
power of mighty river, finding its
own course. sounding it's own
depths-a stream whose silence are
as unknown to parents as that OF the
real great river itself? When VIII
parents wake up to the fact that SO
many of them do not know their
children, that so many of them know
as little of their children as these
parents must have known when these
boys were revelling in the Metz
stroyers because they are the great
adorers," instead of a more whole
some interest in those things that
concern the foot ball field? when
they were revelling in the obscenities
of Pietro Aretino and his lascivious
"Scourge of Princes" and acts of per-
version that should have never been
permitted to taint their fine young
minds? In a lesser degree, or from
different angles, how many parents
ing in the minds of their own
children?
Sees Great Future.
The precocity, the wonderment, the
curiosity of modern youth in this its
golden age is a thing to be well
coined as boding good for the future.
provided the modern parenthood OF
youth know how to perform the part
that is theirs. Without that part
rightly understood and performed. 1t
is to be dreaded lest this golden age
become a hopelessly dangerous age
and lead us to some great tragedy
for the race, as this exceptional case
has been a great tragedy for three
children and the parents involved.
When fathers and mothers Of Amer
lea, as one who has spent 25 years
dealing with the affairs of your chill
dren, please do not let this tragedy
pass without taking from it its les
sons that you so much need. You do
not know your children as you
should and your children do not know
you as they should.
Parents Are Warned.
What are you going to do to make
it easier for them to understand you?
l warn you, the emancipation of
modern youth is at hand. You will
guide and direct it. or it will leave
you far in the lurch. 1t will go on
alone and without you through its
uncharted seas-leading God knows
where. 1t is true that it came with
the emancipation of modern woman.
No longer will either be bound alone
by tradition, by convention.
They are going to chart out a chan
mel for themselves. But you must
step along with the procession. You
may not De dpIe " ie'1i' ouI yoo iiuS 81
know how to follow with that advice,
counsel and direction that the saving
grace of experience and maturity of
years have added to your judgment.
Should Grow Together.
But too many of you are making
no effort either to lead or follow in
this, the greatest procession of the
ages, with your wise and kindly coun-
sci. More and more your children are
going to make their own lives, and
am one who is willing to trust them