Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1917 — CHILDREN AND WAR [ARTICLE]

CHILDREN AND WAR

"Adults ard the first and cnildren the last line of defense," says a bulletin of the State Board of Health. The bulletin further says: "Children are the citizens of toniorrow f Shall they be healthy and dr sickly and weak? Would it be economy to hoard our money and only partially equip the first Hire of defense? Would it be ecdn-

omy to treat the last line ihe same way?" “In Europe, under the pressure' of sudden warfare, the children were for the moment forgotten. In Great Britain, some of the first war economies were i a the educational system. The erection of new school buildings ceased Hepairsfr and improvements were not made. Some school buildings were taken .Over for military perp j --:.- Eve : nittg schools, '■medical "inspection, school dentistry and free lunches were stopped ot cut down. Economy, so-called, was applied to all the schools and with what results? Juvenile (lelinquendy increased 34 per cent. In Germany, the same so-called economy was practiced and in Berlin in 191'» there were twice as. many crimes ■’committed by children as in 19 14. It-surely is not economy or good business in war time or any time t’O keep health training, and moral and mental training from our children even in slight degrees. Teachers should not enlist for -tlie war. They can give better service to their country by continuing their usual work, training the young. In England, over 200,000 children in the age lieriod of’ll to liy -left school to engage in work, and now the mistake is acknowledged and repair is going on,: Sidney Webb says: “In our frenzy for preparedness wo actually began to te;i£ down the social structure by closing and neglecting our - schools. In Germany and France «the same error was made, and now- reconstruction is the cry," The child is worth the sav'ng and our second line of defense must be made stronger than ever, 'The high cost of materials and of

labor must not stand in t.he way of making school houses sanitary. The schools must be: made better. More than even now we are at war, should the child be kept healthy .and carefully trained mentally and morally. Arnold Bennett sa,ys: ‘ Education and health are the very, last things we ought to economize in.". .' ' la;t us strongly oppose all attemps 'to break down the school system either by relaxing enforcement of compulsory (duration or by so-called economy. Oppose all attempts to break laws by -giving children special permits to work as b.v exempting certain establishments from laws limiting hifurs of labor. Support as usual local and social agencies. Do not allow the holding' back of education, juvenile protective associations, child welfare, health activities, or . better babies work. And above all don’t, neglect spiritual .and religious affairs. Economy does not consist in simply not spending money. ■ «