Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-11
County Attorney
COnferS with Mothers
On m0ra1Conditions

In response to invitations issued
by County Attorney Herbert, between
DO and so mothers Of Libby gathered
in the court room at the court house
Wednesday afternoon to consider what
is said to be the deplorable moral
condition of many young people at the
present time.
The meeting was opened by Mr..
Herbert, who asked the Rev. John
Pate to preside as chairman. Mr..
Herbert was then asked to state the
purpose Of the meeting. In his re-
marks he mentioned the prevalence
OF drinking by young boys and girls
and the transgresson of the moral
code by many. He said that in the per-
formance Of. his duty as county at
torney and in living up to the sacred
oath Of office that he had taken, he
had come in contact with these cases.
Upon investigating them he found
that young girls would come into his
office and tell freely and without the
slightest hesitation and with no ap-
parent sense of wrong-doing of illicit
relations. He further said he had found
these transgressions so numerous and
so serious that he did not know what
to do, remarking that he dislked to
start action against young boys and
girls that might result in sending the
boys to. the penitentiary for from two
to SO years and that would forever
disgrace the girls He ,sked for the
advise Of those present, especially
that of the mothers.
Blame Home Conditions.
In the discussion that followed Rev.
Pate of the Presbyterian church, Rev.
R. F. Wick of the Methodist church,
Rev. E. G. Amundson of Eureka of
the Church of God and Rev. A. j.
Stuart, state missionary of the latter
church, all spoke. They blamed the
breaking down of home life, the les
sening Of religious convictions and ethe
laxity Of parents for present condi-
tions.
A number of the ladies spoke brief
ly, asking questions in regard to liq-
uor law enforcement and other
conditions. The concensus was that
many factors contribute to the pres
ent bad state of affairs Foremost
was the failure of parents to main
tain discipline and the proper care
and control Of their children. Other
factors were the automobile, the I'M
chaperoned dance, certain class of
suggestive pictures at the movies, and
the pampering Of and idleness of
children. Helpful ways to correct at
least some of the evil were named.
such as more interest in Boy Scout
and Camp Fire Girl work, the chap
eroning of public dances, stricter
and more careful home life and
greater value placed upon and interest
taken in religion.
Sheriff F. R. Baney was present
and spoke. He expressed the utmost
Willingness to cooperate in every
movement to enforce law and i'm
prove conditions and said his office
always had taken that Stand. Speak
ing Of the dances he told how the
young people would pile into autos
and tear awav after the dance, re-
turning home at all hours of the night.
For officers to maintain any control
of that situation would require an Of
ficer for every automobile, he said.
He blamed parents largely for pres
ent conditions.
Conditions No Worse Here.
In all of the discussion it was main
tanned that conditions in Libby are
no worse than in all other localities,
and that it is better than in many.
The deplorable thing is, the speakers
said, that the present crumbling Of
moral standards is nationwide and
even worldwide.
At the close Of the meeting a res
alntion -adanted- pledging the
whoie-hearted support Of those pres