Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-10
ADULTS INDICTED
FOR ABUSE OF LAW
Dr.. E. R. Groves, SocioIogist,
Gives Modern Youth Clean
Bill of Health.

Modern youth was eXonerated today
before the National Congress of Parents
and Teachers from responsibility for
lawlessness in American life, indiscrim-
mate "petting," abuse of the prohibition
law and the influences that lead to
marriage failures and divorce.
In frank discussion of the Prob
lens of Modern Youth" DR.. Ernest r.
Groves, professor of sociology at the
University of North Carolina, placed
blame for the existence of these ma
tional problems upon the parents and
teachers themselves,
Whatever excuses youth may indulge
in today, he declared, are done as a
protest against the constant coercion
TO which he is subjected in home and
school. THE most important organiza-
ton needed to cope with modern
youth" he said, "is an organization to
leave children alone"
Blames Adults for Law Abuse.
He placed the blame for most Of the
evils growing out Of abuse of the pro-
hibition law upon the adult. Adults
are the grafters who are disobeying the
laws" he added. "They are the ones
who are making profits from it-not the
youth of the country"
PreSent-day lawlessness in America
was traced back to colonial times, when
legal battle i'll court was country
side contest" in which the outcome OF
justice was secondary.
Responsibility for success in mar
riage, he declared, rests solely upon the
parent. THE tremendous amount of
failures in married life, resulting in
widespread and increasing divorces"
DR.. Groves said, create problems for
the youth which make him less conf
dent in the marriage institution and in
his own parents as well.
AS parents, we must assume more
responsibilities for happiness in mar
r1age," he warned in pointing out the
fallacy of legislating upon the subject.
Miss Grace Abbott. chief of the Chill
dren'S Bureau, United States Depart
ment of Labor, addressed the congress
on the subject of Public Responsibility
for Promoting the Welfare of the
Home"
Unfortunately there are some chill |
dren whose real misfortune is that they
have parents" Miss Abbott declared in
discussing the problem of taking the
child from the home and putting it
into other environments.
Instead of taking the dependent child
from his home environment. she OK
planned, the bureau Is trying to help
him in his home and provide service for
his education. Through the mothers
aid pension, for one thing, Miss Abbott
explained, 100000 children are being
kept in homes they might otherwise
lose.
d. c. Organization Gets Award.
This years prize for the largest per-
centage. of parent-teacher organizations
engaged In the Summer roundup of
pre-school children. was awarded yes
terday to the District of Columbia, while
the award for 1928 was given TO Ala
bama, Texas Won the award for the
largest number Of groups of children
enrolled In 1929, Michigan receiving the
award for last year.
A publicity dinner, at which Mrs. J.
N. Saunders will preside, will be held
tonight, while at the general meeting
Secretary Of the Interior Ray Lyman
Wilbur will be the principal speaker.
Paul Wooten, chairman of the board
of directors of the National Press Club,
will be POSTMASTER at the publicity
dinner, at which Mrs. Laura Underhill
Kohn, manager of the publicity bureau,
will introduce her staff and State press
chairmen. There will be talks by Rus
sell Kent, president of the National
Press Club; Lewis Wood. chairman of
the overseas writers; @. Gould Lincoln,
chairman of the standing committee,
press galleries of Congress; Charles S.
Groves, vice president Of the Gridiron
Club; Miss Ruth Jones, president of
the Woman's National Press Club; Dr. |
Max Jordan. vice president of the For
eign Correspondents Association; Ed |
ward Markham, vice president. National |
Press Club; Harold Lane, vice president. |
business paper correspondents commit |
tee, and James D. Preston, superintend- |
emit of the Senat prss gallery. Mr.. |
Wooten will make the principal address. |