Evening star., 1947-04-28

by official policy. As early as Septem-
ber II, 1945, an interim occupation
program for German youth activities
was outlined in Seventh Army Head
quarters directive. On October Is, 1875,
USFET issued an amendment to 2 Mill
tary Government law on education,
directing the setting up OF German
youth committees on the kreis level.
when Gen. Joseph T. McNarney, theater
commander, in letter Of April Is, 1945,
directed Military Government and Army
commands to render all possible assist
ance to local German youth commit
tees, including the use of captured enemy
athletic equipment. To stress the i'm
portance of training youth in demo-
cratic ways, conference was sum-
moned In August, 1916, at which Gen.
McNarney announced: This (the youth
program) is a positive action rather
than negative, as are denaziflcation and
eindustrialization."
The policy of granting material aid
and guidance to German youth activi-
ties was established by q directive of
October S. 1916. Participation by Ger
man youth was ~to be on q voluntary
basis, with no element of compulsion
involved. The immediate objective was
the reduction of juvenile delinquency;
the long-range aim was the implanting
OF democratic concepts in young Ger
mans who, as future leaders, might
guide their country into peaceful role
in the family OF nations
The German youth activities pro-
gram is directed primarily to the 10
to 1S year old group, numbering
100000 in the American Zone of Oc-
cupation, which includes the Bremen
enclave and the United States sector of
Berlin. A survey In August, 1916, showed
that At, 1872, or % per cent Of the 10 to 1s
year olds, were members of 1901 youth
groups in the American Zone. Under
the stimulus OF Army sponsorship, the
number of youth organizations was In
creased to 6,62l by November, reaching
a total membership OF 1882
Sports and Cultural Program.
Wherever American soldiers are sta
toned in Germany, the youth activities
program has taken a variety of forms
to accomplish its two-fold objective.
Headquarters Command, USFET, oper-
ates 18 discussion groups, three swim
ming pools, one rowing club, three
athletic programs, and a summer camp
at Ski Lodge in the Taunus mountains,
to which city youths are sent for
weeks vacation.
In some areas, soldiers participate
in choir singing, musical and dramatic
recitals. Other units provide orches-
tras for youth group dances. Boat
trips on the Rhine and other rivers
have been popular. In Wiesbaden, Bad
Wildungen, Bamberg, Munich, Stutt-
CART, Berlin and indeed in most Of the
other cities and towns throughout the
American Zone, troops are making avail
able athletic facilities and equipment.
Soldier instructors are teaching Ameri-
can sports.
Army wives Of the American Women's
Club in Frankfurt have established q
Girls Center, at which housekeeping
and cooking are taught. A similar
Friendship House" has been set up
in Munich for working girls. In Bam-
berg, German girls have requested in
struction in first aid, home nursing,
child care and American methods of
homemaking.
Coinciding with the expanding scope
of the youth activities program, down.
ward trend in juvenile delinquency was
reported. The number Of juvenile con-
victions in the American Zone during
September and October dropped by 81
per cent from the high mark reached
in August
Less definable, but certainly Of long
range Importance, is the good will
generated among the rising generation
in occupied Germany.