Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-17
Moral Influence of
Kindness to Animals
To the Editor of The Star:

10 the EDITOR OF Inc star:
National BE Kind to Animals"
| week and Humane Sunday have
rolled around again while yet the
spirit of the Resurrection season Is
with us. Although the schools are
closed, preventing any possible talks
In them, nevertheless 1t comes at a
most appropriate time. Many of the
fortunate children have left their
studies to enjoy visit in the coun-
try, where their young, sympathetic
minds can take in nature in all her
wild Springtime freshness. The rest
probably get bits of excursions. We
| are all fortunate in living in beau
tiful city where somewhere, some time
we can get into a park where spring
ing plants and singing birds strike
responsive chords. 1t Is a sodden soul,
indeed, which does not thrill in some
degree at a beautiful flower or a bird
song. Every child does this in his
| own way and If the opportunity be
rightly grasped many lessons of God s
love and care for all His works and
the corresponding realization of trust
| He has placed in human beings over
| them can be instilled into the minds
OF our children and growing boys and
! girls, be their vacations on farms
with horses and cattle, in the parks
| only at home with the pet dog and
| cat.
| Workers In humane education aim
| nrst to present animal life, wild and
| domestic, to our young folks in its
natural beauty and happiness, that
| they might wish always to see it in
| that condition. This prepares them
| later on to learn of and battle against
| certain forms of cruelty which the
mass Of adults, through force of GUS
! tom, Indifference or ignorance, and
| often willfulness, impose upon the
| speechless creation.
1t is up to adults, seriously, not only
| Tor the animals, but far more for the
sake of our childrens Christian char
acter development, to realize the two
! fold home and school duty of both
teaching young minds the principles
OF reverence, mercy and justice to all
the Creators works in plant and ami
| NAL life, and ourselves practicing
| what we preach, !. e., learn the cruel
~ of certain useless practices and be
| consistent enough to abstain from
| them. With open minds we win soon
realize that the seeming sacrifice Of
ahstaininC will really result in per-
sonal benefit.
For example while our happy chill.
| dren are reVeling in bird song and
! irollcklng young things in Powered
| parks and fields, let US observe and
| ponder on the evident and useless
cruelties and wrongs in connection
! with such matters as child labor, the
| degrading influences on the young of
| unclean movies, trained animal per-
! formances, deliberate desertion and
neglect of small animals, uncalled for
! scientific practicing of theories on
| laboratory animals, and slaughter.
house evils connected with meat-eat-
| ing, in which latter practice even
scientists and doctors themselves
charge Americans with overhaul.
! gence for the best of health. Having
| learned, during the coming year, let
US do our part to right the wrongs.
| Humane Sunday, which ends the
| week, could be made mighty influ.
ence for good If pastors and church
| school superintendent to whom the
| appeal and literature were sent
would respond, in view of the fact
| that the humane education movement
| Is truly branch of the Masters sery.
| Ice for the feeding of His lambs, our
| children, under their instruction, and
| the Church of Christ stands for the
| highest channel through which wei.
fare workers expect to accomplish
the greatest good. Therefore, for the
| church and its charges may the mean
| ing of Humane Sunday, April 10, be
| manifested in some way through song,
word and prayer.
VIRGINIA W. SARGENT.