The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1936-06-26
IBY CHARLOTTE A. OllLkRD
NIERllAIloNAl NECno 2aEsa

eY CHARIOT IE A. CllLhRD
INTERNATIONAL NEGRO Press
Y shoot YOU lisped q baby voice
Looking down the eyes Of the pas.
serhy met the rougiah eyes Of a
todaler above a toy pistol. The
slipping nnder-garment failed to
hamper the copied swager. Neel-
BY a group Of larger boys. each with
q simulated weapon was busy
shooting each other and the gem
eral public. posturing, frowning and
speaking IN the approved gangster
fashion.
IN every part Of the country ore
notices the prevalence Of the toy
pistol IN the hands Of our young
sters and the gestures that ac-
company its use One wonders
how much youth is affected by the
gangster type Of picture. Is there
any connection between the IN
crease in juvenile delinquency, es-
peclally as It manifests itself in an
increasing indifference to the tax
ing Of life and the constant COM
panionship Of the toy pistol which
is drawn from the pocket with such
an air of pompousness? For in
crease there Is. As long ago as
1928, John T. Glynn at a meeting
Of the Kansas Peace Officers at
Topeka said do you know that
there are more killers at large
in this country than we have cler-
gymen of all denominations ?" The
United States Census. 192O-1932.
shows the number Of white prison
ers committed to institutions for
homicide in 1882 to be 1929 and
the number Of Negros. 1913.
seventy-five per cent Of today's
crimes are committed by boys less
than % years old. the majority by
boys less than 81.
OF course there are numerous
causes Of delinquency, perhaps tho
chief one being the bitterness and
the intensity Of the economic strug-
gle with its many ramifications
But Warden f. Laws. the famous
warden Of Sing Sing Prison, New
York, says "Tne newspapers and
the movies must in many instances
share a coed deal of the RESPONSE
bility for crime. That brings US
back to the movie.
Professor Herbert Blumer In his
scientific study Movies and Con-
duct reports bits Of conversation
obtained from young people after
they had attended a movie: I'VE
went to q show and we saw q
crook picture and when we got out
side we turned up our coat collars
and acted tough like we were stick.
en-, up guys" IT felt like a bic
shot, etc. Thus we see that this
popular form of art naturally has
an emotional effect.
The problem of movies and the
children is a very important one
We should not be too occupied
with other things to prevent OIL
being deeply interested and vitaIly
concerned in the matter which IL
closely connected with the prepar-
alton Of our future adults for nor
NAL place in society. May we mol
seek to raise the standard Of the
type of pictures shown in our
neighborhood theatre Too often
the picture following the feature
is viscious one. Know what the
entire program is. Talk with the
manager about the kind of pictures
he runs.
Ttstead Of giving the child coin
and sending him to the nearest
motion picture house, to slip in with
any adult who viii purchase t.
ckct for him. encourage other acti-
vities. Juvenile organizations such
as the YMCA. YWcA, Boy Scouts
Campfire Girls and the Rangers
furnish healthful mental and ply.
steal powers thus helping to de-
velope his health and vigor. With.
out stultifying the initiative they
encourage him In beneficial play
and keep him preoccupied withtl
creative lines leaving little time foI
adventuresome tendencies to gel
! afay-feG in fha wrong direction.