Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-09-24
Pepper Report
Urges Juvenile
War Activities
Proposes Commission
To Direct Campaign
Against Delinquency

10 DIreCr campaign
Against Delinquency
A proposal that children be en-
listed in home-front war activities
to a far greater extent" than at
present Is advanced by the Pepper
subcommittee of the Senate in a
'eport released last night which
Urges provision of Federal direc-
ion and grants-in-aid for programs
o prevent juvenile delinquency.
In a second interim report on its
hearings on wartime health and
education, the Pepper Subcommittee
recommended creation of a COM
for children and young peo-
pie, to serve as co-ordinator for
agencies in effecting
program ito provide for the basic
needs Of all children"
Such program, the report stated,
would be aimed at better housing
and more adequate facilities and
personnel for education, medical
care. recreation, guidance and So
cial service for children"
The proposed commission would
function first under the Office of
War Mobilization, and later on come
under whatever agency is desig-
mated to direct rehabilitation.
Education Program Urged.
While suggesting enlistment Of
more youth in war work, the sub
committee said an important Incl
dental service which should be per-
formed by the proposed new COM
mission would be a national pub
icity and educational program TO
acquaint the people of the United
States fully with the facts about
children and their basic needs"
Speaking of more war activities
for children, the subcommittee,
which is headed by Senator Pepper,
Democrat, of Florida. said:
Today more than ever it is i'm
portant that our children be aware
Of their place in the destiny of our
country. The committee feels
strongly that a central administra-
tive authority in the children's field
could also make a tremendous con-
tribution to the welfare of children
by enlisting them in home front
activities to far greater extent than
they are now.
This is war of the whole people.
Our children cannot escape its i'm
pact. Believing as we do that il is
war in which every patriotic
citizen must play his full part, we
must also believe that every child
can play his part and urgently
wants to do SO.
Fuller participation in war activ-
tiles would be unquestionably a
powerful answer to part of the
juvenile delinquency problem. 1t
would touch especially the teen-age
boys and girls who are particularly
susceptible to the tension and ex-
element of war. 1t would raise the
morale of all children and of the
entire Nation. 1t would be an i'm
portant contribution to conservation
and production of essential mate
rails"
Small Personnel Favored.
The commission. the Pepper SUBJ
committee said, should have a small
personnel, capable of generalship
in the fight to give our children
maximum opportunity for growth as
American citizens" Particular at
tention was directed to need for es-
tablishing child guidance clinics az
an integral part of school systems
in key" cities.
While saying administrative cost.
would be small, the subcommittee
said the commission should have
sufficient funds" for grants in-aid
as well as sufficient authority, fol
immediate and effective action tc
I'LL serious gaps in our facilities and
services for children, especially wal
migrants" The grants, it added
would be administered through
existing agencies.
The group found there was q
serious problem of juvenile delin.
quency, nationally - enough TO,
deep concern"-but held it was no,
"war-born" but had the same roots
in wartime as in peace. Saying
there was no conclusive evidence
that delinquency had greatly in.
creased nationally during the war
it found there had been a SHARP
upswing in some places and in some
groups. but that apparently the rate
had declined in others.
Many Factors Recognized.
The subcommittee said a popula,
tendency to ascribe delinquency tc
some single factor, such as neglect
of children by working mothers, the
lure of high wages for parents ano
children received little support in
testimony. Also the subcommittee
was advised search for a single
restrictive remedy, such as institute
ing a curfew, excluding children
from the movies or lowering the
Juvenile" age was unlikely to leac
to the heart of the problem.
The group declared the proper
answer to the. problem of children
of working mothers was provision
of suitable facilities for care OF
these children during working hours
of their parents.
The Pepper report declared prompt
action must be taken to crush i'm
mediately all efforts to make use OF
children in promoting antidemo-
cratic and anti-American propa-
ganda'
1t added that participation OF
youths in race riots and cemetery
dissertations such as have occurred
in Boston, Detroit and New York,
illustrates the possibility of ex-
plotting maladjusted juveniles in
treacherous and insidious efforts to
undermine American unity and
morale"