The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-01
THESE GROWN-UPS

From a column called 'Hugwump Mus
ings," by Marion Ellet, in the COncOrdia
(Kan.l Blade Empire.l
ONCE a pretty young student at the Uni
- versity Of Oklahoma died in her effort to
avoid maternity, and since murder charges
have been filed against the boy who was her
lover. the papers have been full of pious edi-
tor.als about the wages of sin. And of course
the sin under discussion has been that of the
two young people who loved one another.
Nothing has been said about the sin of the
parents or the sin Of society.
At least nothing was said until the boys
father himself broke down in the extremity of
his grief and confessed that the blame was
partly his because of his attitude OF uncom-
promising intolerance toward his children. Il
should have told them to come to me when
they got into trouble" ne said.
But they weren't told to come. They were
told to stay out Of trouble or stay away from
me" And so a boy and a girl ran terrible
risks to avoid something which they had been
taught to believe was a disgrace. They were
old enough TO know that they were taking
risks. But they knew also that their parents
were hard and that society is cruel. They were
desperate. SO desperate that they tempted
death
It's the old tragedy. one sees it so often
and so intimately in the small community
among mere children. high school boys and
girls and college freshmen. And when the
curtain is rung down one hears the same re-
frain: Poor childrenl Why didn't they come
to grown-ups for help?" Well, one grOwn-up
at least has had the courage to answer that
question.
Poor children indeed! Why should they
ever come? Have these grown-ups been so
wise and kind as to have invited the conf
dence of youth2 Has a society dominated by
grown-upS been so tolerant2
Suppose that so-called "erring" youth
should seek the counsel Of its elders. what
would 1t find? A mind paralyzed by fear and
poisoned by notions Of original sin. II would
be net with tears and reproaches and threats
and anguished cries. until verify one would
think that the birth of a child was major
calamity Too often youth turns from the
counsel Of the aged with its wings clipped,
its dreams sullied and its banners furled.
small wonder that 1t doesn't seek the coun-
sci Of the aged any more.
And besides. youth Whlcn IS oaIneQ OF nuIl
never turns TO a befuddled mind for guidance.
An unerring instinct saves It that last indig-
nifty. And what must youth think Of the
social mind which raises monuments 10
wholesale slaughter and looks with horror on
one life oegot N love? What must 1t think
OF the mind which laughs at the cowardly.
abortive philan6erings OF the middle-aged
and which frowns on the clean daring OF
young love? Small wonder that youth. ike
Juliet too often looks 20 the tomb for sane
tuary from the stiff-necked prides and the
idiotic preiudices Of grown-ups.
Il is not a very hattering commentary on
civilization when youth Will risk death rather
than face the hard eyes Of virtue. But per-
haps Il Is a wise choice after al. Perhaps the
parent earth which holds a new year shame
lessly in her deep womb IS kinder than these
grown-ups