Evening star., 1932-12-16
Wandering BOYS
PLIGHT STUDIED
All Religious Faiths Repre-
sented in Conference on
Ways to Meet Problem.

Declaring that the most effective way
of stopping the Wanderings Of transient
boys would be to sop boys from leaving
their homes, DR.. Joseph R. Sizoo. pastor
Church. yesterday opened conference
meeting of Washington clergymen and
Travellers Aid directors. The meeting
vas held for the purpose OF demon
strating cooperation between the Prot
estants, Catholics and Jews of the city
in an effort to find practical way to
end the nomadic life thousands of boys
are leading today as a direct result OF
the depression and unemployment
I'VE have to find some solution to
this problem. and that before long, >
asserted DR.. Sizoo. These boys who
become criminals are too young to be
held responsible for conditions over
which they had no control Most OF
them are normal boys, but they become
abnormal and perverted by going on the
road"
Cites Duty of Churches.
DR. Sizoo further declared that it was
the duty Of every church to take an
active stand to keep homes and families
together during these times of stress.
If poverty and suffering are allowed to
break family ties, he said. then the
foundation Of society is crushed.
Speaking as representative of the
Jewish congregations in Washington.
Rabbi j. T. Loeb stated that the pic
ture of boys travelling about, homeless
and friendless. was appalling for a
civilized country to face And he
being made today. What they are, we
bility for their condition and their op-
portunitles."
Rabbi Loeb also said that he believed
the public when it once realized the
serious extent of the wanderings of boys
under 81, would rise up in unison and
stop it. Talk is only valuable in a
case like this when it arouses to action
he declared.
Rev Joseph Anon of st. Patrick's
Church was the spokesman of the
Catholics, and he pledged the active
support of Catholics here in "a cause
SO worthy of the c0nsecrated efforts OF
every one of u.s." Father Anon said
that thus far many Catholics. both
clergy and laity had proved their con-
Germ about transient boys by helping
TO care for such boys.
Involves Future Generations.
This matter cannot have too much
attention" continued Father Anon.
because it involves the morals and
habits of future generations. Some of
these boys who have become tramps
ana vagabonds will not recover from
the lives they are now leading. They
will have become imbued with the free
and-easy tactics of the habitual loafer
and be scarcely fit for any worthwhile
employment.
Our immediate duty" he went OH,
Is to save these boys before they be-
come shiftless and degenerate. I feel
that the Travellers Aid is doing a verv
valuable work in sending boys back to
their homes, when they have homes to
go to, and in finding good foster homes
for boys who have no families or who
are not wanted at home 1t is work
that will bring rich results"
In thanking the three ministers for
their pledges of cooperation. Mrs.
Margaret Ford, director of the Travel
ers' Aid, said
With the churches and church peo-
pile of Washington back of us, we car
indeed go far The churches can lead
the way out OF this depression and help
the innocent victims of it-these thou
sands upon thousands of foot-loose boys
to be properly readjusted in whole
some, normal way of living"