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Show oSj fpBATTLE Creek A recent editorial in a daily paper calls attention to the fact that "dope" is now available to teen-agers in most cities and towns of the United States for as little as 10 cents a shot. These stimulating stimul-ating narcotics, are known to the trade as "pep pills"; and are taken along with cokes when the youngster young-ster feels the need of a lift. Girls with the "reducing- complex" com-plex" are the most susceptible to the vicious practice, since they can go without food and still maintain their verve and spirit. It's the same old story over again. Thousands of American youngsters are becoming juvenile delinquents by prof il-h u n g r y adults. Almost without exception, children go wrong, not of their own volition, but through the irresponsible ir-responsible activities of grownups. Take cigarettes for instnee. Who makes them? Who sells them? Who profits from the advertisement advertise-ment of the same on billboards, television and radio? Adults. It's a sad commentary in this connection con-nection that some who verbally decry the use of cigarettes, profit substantially from radio and television tele-vision cigarette advertisements. In the case of immoral and obscene ob-scene comic books and magazines, who writes them ? Who prints them? Who profits from their sale? Adults of course. If young people get into trouble with automobiles, where do they get them ? Who permits them to own and1 drive them before they have the legal and competent right? You guessed it again adults. Who is always responsible when children go wrong because they do not have a secure and decent home? Not the children; and that's for sure. Behind every delinquent boy or; girl, there are always several delinquent de-linquent adults. Sometimes they are invisible; but they are there just the same. Whether they like it or not, children or forced to live in an adult world;" and too often it is a world fraught with adult-ma.le adult-ma.le moral pitfalls and temptations. tempta-tions. It's about time that we placed the responsibility where it belongs, j and proceed to clean house. In j the past, most of our efforts to curb juvenile delinquency have been of the curative type. We build 'jails and detention homes. We employ em-ploy probation officers and judges. We deplore in press and pulpit the disgraceful increase of youthful crime. That's about all. If we really care for the moral j security of our children, we should strike at the roots of the pernicious adult activities that are the funda-i funda-i mental cause of it all. Take ti- -j profit out of juvenile temptation. I Search out, expose and severely i punish the offending adults, an! j the problem will solve itself. I So long 'til Thursday. |
