Evening star., 1940-04-26
Christ Child Society
Is Told Boys Clubs
Can Cut Crime
Dr.. Nolan Praises
Guidonce; kotionoI
Convention Closes

Praising the work of the Merrick
Boys Club in its effort to reduce
juvenile delinquency in Washing
ton, DR.. James A. Nolan last night
told more than 200 members and del
egates to the seventh biennial con-
vention of the National Christ
Child Society that the club was "a
lamp OF love and courage" to local
youths.
DR.. Nolan, director of the WASH
ington Criminal Justice Associa-
ton, was the principal speaker at
the closing session of the three-day
convention, held at the Mayflower
Hotel.
Pointing to an increasing national
crime record among juveniles, based
on statistics of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, the speaker de-
clared that since 1896 the per-
centage of serious crimes committed
by youths under 81 had increased
notably. I'm about 20 per cent Of
the cases the defendants are GRIM
inals before they are citizens" he
said.
Criminal Culture" Offset.
Crime is not a matter of chance
but of choice, DR.. Nolan asserted, and
the remedy is to create "a law-abid-
ing culture" by means of organiza-
tions such as boys clubs to offset
the less-demanding criminal cul-
ture." Clubs develop personal in
terests when intelligently directed
and teach the boys proper conduct
and responsibilities, he added.
Where we have failed most in our
drive on juvenile delinquency" DR..
Nolan said, lis in securing the ap-
proval OF growing youths to our
platform of ethics and standards of
morals" Development of honor
able ideas and principles is made
attractive by boys club programs,
a medium that promises to make
great strides in solving the delin-
quency problem, he stated.
Mrs. William Kittle, first presi-
dent OF the Washington chapter of
the National Federation of Settle-
ments, leader in legislative cam.
palgn Tor minimum wage law for
women in the District, enacted in
1887, and now member of the wage
board, reviewed results of the law
on the earning power of $4,000
non-skllled woman workers in its
three-year existence. She cited sta
tistics taken from a cross-section
survey made one year after passage
OF the law to show that the level
OF Washington's unskilled woman
workers had been raised consider
ably, thereby easing the load of So
clal workers. Mrs. Kittle advocated
additional legislation along that line
as further social aid.
Cannot "Legislate Morality"
Agreeing that laws were needed
to improve the economic condition
of poor families, Father Francis
Lyon, c. S. p, of old st. Mary's
Church, San Francisco, Calf, de-
clared, however, that laws do not
prevent crime. Regardless of the
number of laws enacted, Father
Lyon said, I'VE cannot build walls
strong enough to withstand the
ravages of human naturc-sin and
immortality. Regardless of legisla-
ton, charity will always be with u.s."
1t is impossible, he warned, to "legis-
late morality into existence"
Father Lyon said the remedy would
be found when the people of the
world sought to follow the example
OF the love and charity of Jesus
Christ. The nearest approach to
that principle, he declared, was In
the type and kind of work done by
the National Christ Child Society
and its associated agencies.
Other speakers on the program
were Mrs. Arthur F. Mullen of
Omaha, Nebr, presiding officer at
the convention, and Mrs. Frederick
Murphy, member of the board of
the Washington Christ Child Society,
who read four original poems, one
OF which was in honor of Miss Mary
V. Merrick, founder and permanent
PiCoiuCIlG vi Ullc organization.
Mrs. Frederick E. Altemus of the
Washington unit was toastmistress.
Miss Mary ODonoghue, accom-
panied by Mrs. Cecilia ODae Krog-
mann at the piano, sang several
songs to add a musical note to the
evenings program.
Sixty delegates representing IA