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Show Dorothy Dix Talks DELINQUENT PARENTS 1 Bv DOROTHY DIX, the World's Highest Paid Woman Writer. jj Snare to rod and spoil the child." a most solemn truth which day hv ?v is bnnj; impressed upon the dls-?r,rt dls-?r,rt attorney s office, said Chief As-kiani As-kiani risirin Atiurnr; Alfrcu J. ' Tillcv the other day as nr. asked thatj I , bov and girl, each of whom was fif- t en years old and each of whom had; ' ITmraittcd murder, to be turned over : o the children's court of New York (or trial Then Mr. Talley went on to say, the ) r ;r I1,1"- ' 11 ,in alu)0st complete new lot of otTendi ra They are not ,Hj ! "n and women of mature age and F hardened pi sts, but young boys and jrls whose ages range trom fifteen 1 rn ,;-itfin veurs. Th number of 1 Hrs ''i it. n and !oui ;e. n who have r irTd .-in the narrow path is al-8 al-8 incredible I The only explanation of it la the I lack of family discipline which breeds i j.pjf of respect for properly constitut-I constitut-I cd authoritj Th- parents of today I re prone to be lenient. They allow I their children too much liberty, and ix I permit them to remain out hue at night, and they get into bad company and are led into committing all man- nor ol crimes from burglary and highway high-way robbery to muni' i This is a t'-rrlble indictment of the I parenthood of today, but no one can f ripnv its justice. W hen children go wrong it is the parents fault, for into I their hands was given a plastic soul to mould into whatsoever ihape they pleased, and if they have not formed I ft into a thing of beauty and usefulness, usefu-lness, the aim is upon their own heads. There is no other crime in the world I toda comparable with the way the gverage child is being raised. Spoiled, pampered, indulged in every wish. ! nuch ccotiHic. i 1 the arrogance oi I'ru-Maii junker. It knows do law b'.it i'n own v. ill. li urows up with no idea of self control. Obed im. i- a r ' . A child that would i dowh.it i v.. i- :nM in do, without ar-fumen ar-fumen M7 prut,- , .uli he a eurios-. eurios-. :n that p-opir W' .' I po miles to see. 4CL? ' '" '" ; 1 ' n ' r !-"',J' The clnl drn monopolist ' mi;,i - lion rn.l wrai l.'ti- - ;- 'id Ut". .I.dinni.- want to do ot mi in-.' il h family plan h In !h'' el;i-h '' '." il I ' i- ' In i hilili en yL ''''"' in'-::;:,,';'' v 1,1 "'" "v''1 'he par- r ! can .ilb.nl n :h : i : 1 1 n hum bai e ,5, money m dr- - md amu e themselves ' likr' lhf' othcr children. Half the time their p .;. .... n, i kn.-w where ?.a' they are nor Hie n.. i.n - 01 ifi. children 'UE!4i with whom the i .-.m .. . . i t.;- ' v. in 1 1., r lie. r , desirable ac t , qaaintances or no:. 1" ,5 il an-v wonder thai hildren so "Wall i broupht up hae ihe manners of hoed 1J?t!. lums I it any marvel tha the) are f 'J c -h, and bound to gratify thefr dC: ..i !r 1 1 - I ! . n- . I ha i i, h.i ve n v.-r been ' ,j , . re . . i.i..-.! : ! eir appe! i tee and Lfli passions become drunkards and worse"5 Can anyonf marvel that divorce Is so common when two young, untrained creatures, who hav? never considered anybody but themselves and their 'own pleasure of the minute, undertake the duties and responsibilities cf marriage, and are confronted with its sacrifices? There isn't a M)t in the gutter, nor a criminal in the penetentiarv, nor a Kirl walking the streeis at night plying her shameful tradp. nor a worthless bum or loafer, who cannot point at his or her parents and say. "ou have made me what I am If you had done our duty b mc hen 1 was a child and controlled me. and watched over me. and curbed my e-il tendencies, 1 would not he the outcast that I am. I would be a decent, nonoiable, respected respect-ed individual." Yet in spite of this patent truth, parents aro too weak and too lazy and too Belf-Indulgent ::i themselves to do their duty by their children, li is plei '-.inter to send H.e (Children out-on the streeis to play, than it ii to listen to their noise around the house It is less fatiguing to give Johnnie the quar ter he wants than i' Is to have a fight with htm oer it. It causes les friction fric-tion to pretend not to notice that Tommy has not done a -ingle one of the chores he is set to do than it does to make him do il. Candy isn't good for the buby , but we give it to him to stifle his howling Mary shouldn't go out at night., but I we let her go because she makes such a terrific scene if we try to keep her; I at home. Father Is loo busj with his business and golf to r.-allv notice what : I the children are doing, and as long as! they don't bother him. he presumes they are getting on all right. Mother' lis absorbed with societies, with clubs, jwiih uplifting the world, and she lets Jihe children do as they please, because' she is following the line of least re-j slstance. Therefore., it is a common thing to hear parents say of a twelve year old boy or girl, "I can't do a thine with; Johnnie or Sadie He or she won't listen to a word I say.'' And the courts are full of child criminals. And I it's every bit the parents' fault. Fori 'all religion, all law and order is found-led found-led on respect for authority, on obed ! ien e. on .self control and these must !be taught in the home They must1 jbe bred into the fibre of a child's mind1 i if it Is to grow up into a desirable cl- i tizen. I The district attorney believes with i Solomon that the way to instil virtue' into a child is with a rod. Many of: us doubt that you can bastinado any- I one into being good There is a very little time in which a child is physically physical-ly afraid of its parents and if they have no hold over it except the whip hand, that influence is gone when it can defend Itself aaginst beatings I Anyway, fear maks liars and cow- ards, but the influence of the parent who has been kind but firm, who has enforced respect and obedience, and taught the principles of right living are never ending, and no child of such parents ever comes before the bar of i ihe criminal court. no Read the ClussL'iod Ada, fC |
