Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

LITTLE screams Of a tortured child p"
How that phrase strikes at the
heart and lenses the nerves of any
rGht-mnded person,
Sherlock was speaking about the period Of
the 1Ss0's Humanitarian ideas have spread
over the civilized world since those days.
atEt1s-fer- improving the of
children for protecting them from social evils
Of all kinds have swept over our own country
in recent decades
Tremendous progress has been made in
child health work in education in legislation
for the benefit of children. Have these meas
ures been successful? Yes-to a great extent.
In the more enlightened sections of the nation,
especially in our great cities, the lot of chill
dren has been made much brighter, and also
the lot of women of widows, of the aged and
infirm-in short Of all the relatively helpless
elements Of social order
What about the people of the back coun-
try? The forgotten people whose lives form
the dim drab pageant of the hills, the forests,
the plains the remote marshy lowands all
the little known places seldom seen by the
tourist as he motors over the great highways?
1T Is true that these pathetic, mentally and
] physically undernourished people of the back
country are not as completely forgotten and
neglected now as they once were. No matter
how remote the little shack which houses
them. the INDECENT old couple. or the old man
or old woman living alone are entitled to the
Old Age Pension If they know enough 10
apply for II or If someone interested IN them
brings their case TO the attention Of the proper
authorities The widowed mother and her chill
dren and the unmarried mother receive
NTd 70 bepeHdert 6hrfdrrr- -acair, n they have
the proper authorities, or if the proper author
tiles are alert enough, and sufficiently inter
ested TO keep a watchful eye on all cases or
possible potential cases within their sphere of
influence.
In addition 20 these and other programs in
which the Federal Government and the States
cooperate there are the State and local agen-
cies-the Probate Court. the County Poor
Agent the various Township officials, local
charity groups state Departments of Public
Welfare and other organizations whose bust
ness il is 10 protect and care for those who are
too ignorant too poor too helpless too old
or too young 10 protect themselves, With all
this machinery for social betterment available.
is there any excuse in our enlightened country
for the cases Of neglect OF abuse or Of cruelty
which come 10 light all too often especially in
remote back country areas?
cal betterment must be something more than
appropriations and disbursements and book
keeping Social workers all persons dealing
with human problems must be something
more than automatons asking routine ques-
tions and filling out correct forms Forum
atcly most Of them are.
a great many Of them are sincere workers
with their whole heart in their job. But there
arc some. unfortunately, who are constantly
aware OF the ballot box. There are some who
are part and parcel Of the back country social
order themselves and who for that reason lack
the Judgment and the ethical standards for
their responsibilities. There are even some,
fear like Sheriff jeff in Erskine. Caldwens
Trouble in July" who make it point TO 20
fishing whenever serious trouble is brewing.
Cecond these rural officials ana social work.
, ers sincere or indifferent. capable or hope
lessly inadequate well intentioned or defn-
itely crooked are AL faced with an almost
impossible task The social conditions Of the
back country arc 81 doplorable and of such
long standing az least in many localities, the
population is 80 scattered and the country