The Washington times., 1936-06-15
NOW
Talk NOU About
Hamilton
BOYS CLUBS
By HELEN ESSARY

John Hamilton-you hear about
him now wherever you 60 and
whatever you read.
John Hamilton-he'S the man
who put Landon over. He's the
man who put the Old Guard-out
He's the new chairman of the
Republican National Committee.
John Hamilton-""he's the boy
to watch" He's smart, he's indus,
triouS, he's got charm and "it. u
Likewise, personality and brains
so hear. I've never met him. He
has red hair that won't stay down.
A grin thai makes people like him.
And long legs to take him places.
His brother is Hale Hamilton, the
movie actor, who also has flair
for the dramatic.
And Mrs. Hamilton-what sort
Of a person is she?
Mrs. Hamilton, I understand,
wishes her husband had never
got into politics. She'd be lots
happier if he had been satisfied
to work in his law office in
Topeka and come home at
reasonable hour every day.
Mrs. Hamilton is tall and
slender and good-looking. She
Is we'll educated. Has social i'm
portance and likes her life as it
is, without unnecessary strug-
Cling.
The HamiltonS have two chill
dren. Their son, Daniel, is a
student at Andover. A daugh-
ter, about Is or Is, with red
hair and snappy eyes, is one
of the prettiest young things you
ever saw. So my Cleveland
Convention scouts report.
Mr.. Hamilton is just learning
Washington. One of his oldest
friends here is Louis G. Caldwell
with whom he graduated at
Northwestern University Law
School.
I don't get around to police
stations very often. Half the time
I don't know what is going on at
Number Eight or Number Three,
Southwest or AnacoStia and
places like that.
But this morning a policeman
called at my door. He said he
would like to talk to me for few
minutes. I try always to be
friends with policemen but when
ever see one I Shiver. I think
frantically about my past. Natu-
rally when a past has lasted as
long as mine the subject has pos
sibi1ities for some apprehension
and considerable regret.
But thi policeman was ex-
tremely pleasant looking. He had
nice white teeth. I felt almost
comfortable as regarded him
through the screen door.
He said he wanted to interest
me in the Boys Clubs of the Met
ropolitan Police. Major Browns
Boys Clubs to be exact. Until
this moment Policemen's Boys
Clubs had never entered my
mind. Now, since I've explored
the subject. I feel it's an idea I
want to talk about lots. It ap-
pealS to me tremendously.
The police officers who know
about life and its mistakes say
that the reason juvenile courts
are so crowded is because some
boys, naturally full of energy,
have no place to play but the
streets. (They get bored at home
and who doesn't?) And, there
fore, are likely to get into trou-
BILE.
Intelligent policemen, Metro
politan Policemen in particular,
have decided to use vacant rooms
in police stations as play rooms
and meeting places for boys. They
are fitting up gymnasiumS and IL
brarieS. Inviting the boys in, max
ing them feel that "cops are their
friends" And so stopping juve-
nile crime in the making.
Two years ago the first Boys
Clubs were started in Washington.
The four already in existence
have been so successful that the
members of the police force are
making a house-tohouse canvass
asking for money to establish a
club in every precinct in Wash
tngton. I asked the policeman:
"But how have you managed
to get the boys to want to come
to police stations and feel at
ease once yOa get them there.
Aren't the boys afraid of your
unifOrmS?"
The policeman answered.
"At first they seemed a little
uncomfortable, some of them.
But the word soon went around
that there was a good gym
nasium over at-Say Number
FOur-and the crowds began to
come. They like the annual
boxing match, too. Our real
idea is to educate the kids into
thinking that they can trust us
and we'll help them out of
their difficulties. The parents
are keen about the clubs"
I should think the parents
would be keen about the clubs. I
can imagine no pleasanter ar
rangement for wayward mother
Cor father. either) bound for the
movies or a prolonged cocktail
party, than to park an active son
at a police station.
Perhaps soon, parents being
what they are, policemen will