The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-17


 Adventure bound boys In New York want a thrill by making Q night vis- 1t to Harlem, This desire has been fostered by stories in newspapers that tell of young colored fellows working in pairs on crime projects one criminal sneaks up on an un- Suspecting victim, throws hiS arm tightly around the neck pulling backwards, throwing his prey off, balance and keeping the victim helpless by pounding his knee in the small of the back His accom- plice hurrisdly searches all poek- cts or handbags for valuables Of any kind that can be turned into money, including articles of jewelry visible to the eye or touch,
 Recent happenings include mur- der, torture, criminal attacks and depraved actions committed by "hoodlums" from i3 to l6 years of age, Space in newspapers prevent complete chronicle of all the ter- rifying news that has occurred in Harlem by youthful perpetrators,
 Vile language and obscene words are but c part of the abuse heapea on both white and colored owners of stores who protest when their stocks are being pilfered by these neighhorhood rowdies, It is hard to believe that young boys and girls of l3 years con be so hard-boiled as to resort to murder for pennies and thrills. Records and confessions are indisputable proof 1t is too true,
 If one mingles . bit with this age range, he may be able to gain their confidence and thus get an lnkling of what Is going on, In Har- lem men with strong arms and big bodies are often solicited for Jobs of terrorism that are much more lucrative than straight laboring work. These odd assignments re- quire a few minutes of application to make sometimes more money than an ordinary job would pay off in . month,
 A handful of money and a little gin will make many Of these huge numbering fellows clumsily gay, bois- terous, daring ard vicious. one "easy money" racket leads to an- other, One of the worst Is that or peddling dope which includes Mari- huna cigarettes, Sales are flourish Ing. New users spread like the weed wherever 1t once becomes planted, Greedy operators of this evil ring start on very young youngsters to cultivate life customers, This Is accomplished by gradually increas- ing dope impregnated in candy, These children are less fortunate than Dead End Kids" They rarely have even a few pennies, Some men get e fw gullible ones who cannot pay to agree to do what they are told on promise of more than enough money to give them plenty" of everything rice. They are taught crude hula-hula dances which they catch on to with bang as one or more stand by and hum a tune.
 Gangs tour busy streets, An "oper- ator" warns them not to recogr ize him in crowds that collect. These youngsters start their how on the sidewalk. In a few seconds passersby including the sponsor as a distin- tereStsd spectator. stop to see just what the kids" will do. He admires their performance and throws Q quarter on the sidewalk. The kids stop their dance and pile on each other as though trying to recover a tumble in a football game. One comes up with a victorious glimmer in his eyes which invariably pleases their sidewalk audience so much that genuine spectators will throw another quarter sor more rowdy scrambling. Sometimes several quar- ters are thrown the take" simmers down to dimes, nickels and eventual ly pinnies. All this time their spec tator mentor has an Sagle eye open on both approaches. It Is he who sounds a sympathetic warning at the approach of police. The kids then scamper in different directions. They often delay long enough to get all the money thrown at them. If an officer is within hearing dis tance they taunt him with wise- cracks. The boys reassemble perhaps a block away and repeat their side- walk dancing gymnastics, always good for a handout.
 Most of these boys turn in their earnings, SO do great many boot blacks. checkroom operators, porters bellboys, walters and countless other service operators who get as salary a small portion of what "giyers" in- terded to be an out-and-out dona- tion to the recipient. They hold deep resentment for their employers who take their little pittances for lavish living while workers do the best they can in squalor.
 Little wonder we have more and worse outbreaks in Harlem when you hear Of all the racketS that these people succumb to under gullible or forceful tales
 This situation is not a new one. Years ago its worsening effects were noted in this column. All the police in the world cannot remedy it. Harlem needs thousand neighboTs hood clubs, psng.pong tables, check boards and respectable leaders to inclncate respect for law and order by choice and example.
 Our white children are gradually presenting a modified Harlem Situa- ton. As is not the young people who