The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-04-20
LAWFUL CHICANERY BREEDS
 OPEN CRIME


 It is often said, not without cir cumstances, that the fellow who breaks in and steals a loaf of bread for his hungry family is more cer- tain of punishment than is the in- dividual of position who betrays Q trust and embezzles enormous sums or the shrewd business man who knows how to defraud the credulous and yet keep within the law.
 Recent tendencies to grant a moratorium on mortgages on small dwellings indicate that we are be- ginning to recognize that crime is not confined to the masses.
 Years ago psychologist (ven his name escapes me at the mo- ment) conceived the interesting idea that certain physical stigmata or earmarks served to distinguish the criminal from the normal law abiding person. Prominent ears, bettle brow, eyes too close together or too far apart, 'asymmetryI of features, receding chin, prognath- ism, these and other variations from the ideal or ordinary stamped the possessor as criminal type" But all that, along with many oth- CT concepts of quack psychology, has been discarded Too many of our noblest citizens qualified for ball and chain, and too many of our most notorious criminals were veritable saints by that criterion.
 We know now that ultraviolet light as well as diet is important in the prevention of rickets. Children with rickets are much more likely to have adenoids and enlarged ton- sils. If not properly treated they are likely to develop permanent deformities such as chicken breast, fiat head, bow legs. spinRl curva- ture, knock-knee, fiat feet.
 Ultraviolet light will not pass through ordinary window glass. Glass that permits part of the ul- ra-violet rays of sunlight or sky shine (daylight) Ito enter costs more and hence is not often in- stalled in the dwellings of the poor. But 1t is hardly fair to blame the great prevalence of rickets in slum districts to inadequate windows in the houses. The more important cause is inadequate playgrounds for the children in such districts. If they have to play on the street they are robbed of the benefits of sunshine owing to the narrowness of the streets and the height of the buildings on either side, shutting out most of the direct rays,
 Lack of decent place to play is a factor of not only rickets but also defective physical development, and apart from the alleged "stig- mata of degeneration" already mentioned, according to the re- ports of physicians in penal insti- tutions remarkably large share of the inmates present physical de- fccts which, in my opinion, are a real cause of criminal conduct. Moreover, while child Is develop ing physical defect because Of neglect of his or her physical edu cation or training, his or her inter- ests may be easily drawn into ab- normal channels, whereas 6 proper interest in the games or sports or other normal activities of boyhood or girlhood would make the young person that much more difficult to lead astray.
 Crowded, dirty streets. with the ever-present risk of injury by auto mobile traffic, the fear of being pinched by the cops, and the utter lack of any order. system or eqiup- ment for play, offer pretty poor school for future citizens. It is law full, of course. for the wealthy to draw dividends from the invest ments in the slums, but that sort of chicanery breeds open crime.