Evening star., 1946-03-03
Federation Lists
7-Point Plan 10
Aid Juveniles
Problem Described
As Acute Due to
Strain Of Wartime

Strain Of Wartime
Unanimous adoption of a seven
point program to alleviate the Dis
trict's "acute" juvenile DELINQUENCY
problem brought on by "the stresses
and strains of wartime living" was
voted last night by the Federation Of
Citizens Associations.
The program, advocated in a re-
port submitted by subcommittee
OF the Federations Welfare Com
mittee headed by DR.. M. Virginia
O'Neil, urges:
l. Appointment of a committee on
youth problems in every citizens as
sociation.
2. That every association devote
at least one meeting this year to the
needs of youth in its community, in
vlting some young people to attend,
To Urge Parental Responsibility.
3. Using every means to create an
urge among more parents to assume
responsibility in working with youth
groups over and above the work be-
ing done with some success" by the
churches, Parent Teacher Associa-
tions and Council of Social Agen-
cies.
4. Closer cooperation between
citizens associations and parent
teacher groups through exchange of
representatives at meetings.
5. Associations to obtain from the
public relations officer of the Fed.
Grafton or its Committee on Youth
Problems, means of obtaining pub
licity for youth programs.
To Seek Press Support.
6. Member bodies to persuade ed
ucational forces such as newspapers
and movies to stimulate young peo-
pies interest in sports, current
events and "healthful adventure
and to minimize the publicity
given to felonies and misde-
meanors."
Z. Associations to organize such
groups as the Junior Citizens Asso-
Citations and Boys Auxiliaries.
Adoption of the program followed
vigorous debate as to the best means
OF coping with juvenile delinquency.
Typical of the arguments advanced
was that of j. S. Gorrell, Burleith
delegate, who declared the problem
to be one of educating the parents
rather than the children. William
A. Olsen, of Chillum Heights, agreed
IN principle, stating:
The real fault lies with those over
80. Parents raise he'll and the kids
see it and want to do the same"
Extra Funds Advocated.
The Federation also heard a report
from its Public Welfare COMMITTEES
chairman, Mrs. Ernest Howard. who
called attention to the necessity for
additional funds under the 1e47
budget ''if the District is to have
real welfare program"
Mrs. Howard asked member asso-
Citations to submit ideas regarding
problems relating to the Board Of
Public Welfare, District Jail i'm
proVements and the Receiving
Home, adding that it was up to
members to decide soon whether
they wanted the Board of Public
Welfare placed In the hands of the
Commissioners.
r. j. Ableman, chairman of the
Police and Fire Protection Com
mittee, said his group would report
at the next meeting on Mai. Harvey
6. Callahan's proposal to increase
the number of District policemen
oy lbs. This led Baxter Smith, Bur-
lelth delegate, to remark that such
a proposal still leaves us so men
shy OF our authorized strength, !"
Taxation Discussed.
A discussion of taxation developed
after William A. Duvall, Fort Davis
delegate, said as a District resident
ne was taxed to DEATH" and had
no effective means of opposing the
current trend toward additional
local taxes.
K P. Armstrong, District. Associ-
atlon OF Engineers delegate and
chairman of the Committee on Fis-
cal Relations and Taxation. report
ed that his groups study of the
taxatlon picture was not complete.
nut declared his belief at this juno
lure that further taxes are not
going to be necessary"
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Jonn Il. Donnelly told the ero,In
the humanitarian" practice of Dis
trlct courts in refusing to extract
the last nickel" from mental pa-
tlents at st. Elizabeth,s Hospital
was costing the District $4,000 600
a year In payments to the Federal
government. He based his asser-
tion on the average per diem cost
OF $2.35 per mental patient