The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-05
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

MRS. MENKEN has had long and success
Iva full personal experience with many types
of the maladjusted especially female delin-
quents Her book is particularly valuable as
emphasizing the interlacing of mental defect,
poverty, crime and other manifestations Of social
Embellishments (On the Side of Mercy: Prob
lens in Social Readiustment BY Alice Davis
Menken. COvici Friede, So
The volume contains much gratifying evil
dence of the remarkable progress Of scientific
and humanitarian methods in dealing with
juvenile and female denquents in the last
twenty years. What need to do is to carry
over the same attitudes and methods into our
treatment of adult male criminals
If we wish to safeguard and humanize the
capitalistic system no volume of the last decade
contains more relevant and useful information
than DR.. Epstein's comprehensive and scholarly
volume Insecurity, A Challenge to America. By
Abraham Epstein Smith and Haas So 1t is
py far the best argument for, and analysis of,
social insurance which has thus far appeared in
the English language
Those who wish to hang to the system
of rugged indvidualism and private relief will
do well to read carefully part two Of this book,
especially its devastating critique of the made
quacy Of private insurance and its exposure Of
the distressing paucity of the funds supplied by
private charity. He demonstrates very thor
oughly the NEUROLOGICAL character of the COM
mon assumption that rich Americans shell out
literally to support every relief drive.
No conceivable operation of the new deal will
eliminate all restitution and unemployment. If
We wish to handle these issues in civilized and
efficient fashion, social insurance affords the
only sensible approach to the problem.
PROFESSOR KULP has provided an inter-
Il esting symposium on social insurance which
serves as a good supplement- to DR.. Epsteins
! book, in that it contains several contributions
| opposing the whole notion of social insurance
! ,acr1
nails of the American Academy of Political and
Social Science; $2). The latter are not very
convincing, but they should be read by parti-
sans of compulsory insurance.
The National Council on Freedom from Cen
sorship has rendered an extremely timely service
in getting out an anthology of the cuts made by
New York state censors in motion picture films,
between January, 1892 and March, 1888.
The little book which has resulted is not
only vastly amusing and Illuminating clinical
document on censorship, but, in reality. an
amazing believe it or not volume ('What
Shocked the Censors," edited by Hatcher
Hughes The National Council on Freedom From
Censorship; 81.
Many of the cuts ordered seem the product
of sheer stupidity. There appears to be no uni
formity or consistency lying behind them. Even
in cases where the cuts, taken by themselves
alone seem reasonable and sensible similar ma
teriaI is often allowed to remain, even in the
same film. There is a good summary of the
Ideals Of the censors throughout the United
States, based on the dicta of Will Hays:
Virtue always must be rewarded sin and
crime always punished, even if only at the tail
end of lurid reels of vice and violence Life
must not be treated it really is but as bu-
reaucratic moralists think it should be. Moral
lessons must be taught if not in newspapers and
magazines and on the stage, at least in the
movies. But the producers have learned to get
away with almost anything suggestive or i'm
moral, If it only has the proper moral ending"
THE progress of scientific and humane
Il methods in the treatment of delinquents is
bound to lay more and more stress upon the
value of probation. Unless there is very obvi-
GUS necessity to nprison man for social pro-
lection, every consideration of logic and prac-
tice emphasizes the desirability Of dealing with
him outside of an institution
The Year Book of the National Probation
Association for 1928 (s2) provides us with an
authoritative and diversified discussion of every
angle of the porbation problem. chiefly in the
form of papers delivered by experts at the an
nual meetings of the association.
The logical prelude to all other human prob
lens are those connected with procreatiop and
birth. Therefore, We may welcome the clear
and reliable introduction by DR.. Cuttmacher of
JohnS-Hopkins university C'Iife in the Making"
BY Aler Frank Guttmacher Viking, s2.75).
While his volume is not as comprehensive or
systematic as that by Professor ParShley, it is
an excellent. restrained and very readable intro
duction to the subject. 1t would constitute
most appropriate and wholly legal wedding
present for any bride. however sophisticated.
With many women the problem is not so
much of bearing children as of supporting them.
DR.. Hall has worked out an excellent survey Of
the cost of supporting dependent mothers in
the city of Philadelphia c'Iothers' Assistance
in Philadelphia, Actual and Potential Costs"
BY Elizabeth c. Hall. The Sociological Press.
Sis. 1t is a valuable social and humanitarian
document