How We Fight Vagrancy

No one denies that vagrancy is a deep-rooted malady in our country, neglected by those responsible; conferences, resolutions, and speeches will not remove it — only swift, fruitful work.

Thus did the governments and peoples of the West, such as England and Scandinavia, act: they rooted vagrancy out of the minds and hearts of the young, thanks to the effective measures and the efforts they expended to secure a bare living, learning, and health care for everyone in need.

And what have we done? It pains me, as it pains every sincere patriot, to hear the answer. The responsibility for this neglect and indifference, and for the backwardness and woes it draws down upon us, rests upon the government and the rich and upon every individual of the nation — you, sir, and you, madam, and I.

Do we not declare on every occasion that the children of today are the men and women of tomorrow? Have we, then, prepared them to carry the responsibilities of tomorrow, to be sincere patriots, men and women, understanding what duties lie upon them and what rights are theirs, so as to meet tomorrow?

It is not too late, and the remedy can cure this grievous disease and root it out of the nation — on condition that we set about carrying it out with sincerity and disinterestedness.

Is the juvenile reformatory a reformatory in the intended sense?

And what has woman done to treat this disease, whose treatment she counts the first of her duties? She has founded a few homes for the protection of poor children — but are these homes sufficient in number? Are they equipped with everything the child needs? Is the care in them complete? Do those responsible turn their attention to these homes, helping them financially and medically according to the need of each, and imposing strict supervision and inspection upon them?

Has one of our rich men, at home or abroad, thought of founding an institution for poor children? Have our ladies thought of sacrificing a trifle of the money they squander on roulette and baccarat and the rest at the gaming tables, to build an institution for destitute girls? If we truly wish to build a strong, sound, sincerely patriotic generation and a strong, advanced nation, we must cooperate in sacrifice.

What harm is there in our taking the program of struggle that succeeded in the West and applying such of it as suits the young of our country — we who copy their fashions and imitate them in much that does not suit our national growth?

This is a little of the much that the West has done, government and people, and it has yielded dazzling results, and we are in the direst need of following in their steps. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

First — Reformatories for boys and for girls, equipped with every kind of training, sport, and amusement.

Second — The enactment of an independent law for vagrant delinquent minors, covering their offenses and the rules for trying them, and the founding of special courts for them, presided over by a judge acquainted with the psychology of the child, assisted by two judges, one of them a woman.

Third — Compulsory education.

Fourth — Encouragement of the founding of organizations that spread invigorating hobbies among the young, such as recreation clubs and athletic societies — free of charge.

Fifth — Guidance by means of cinema films — free of charge.

Sixth — Free education, from the kindergartens to the first schools, then the primary, then the secondary, and their multiplication in the cities and villages.

Seventh — The creation of free vocational schools, and their assistance and encouragement.

The carrying out of this program requires enormous sums, gigantic efforts, and cooperation among the government, the institutions, and the people. If our governments cut down some of the expenses of luxuries, celebrations, and banquets; if our rich gave a little of the much they squander, and aided the private institutions; if men and women donors came forward to serve, and efforts joined hands — then not many years would pass before we had covered a long, far stage in the fight against vagrancy — the nation's sworn enemy — and had done away with corruption, vice, vagrancy, and crime.

Hail, then, to the day when we can say:
'Lebanon today is able to assure the reform of the individual's condition from the cradle to the grave.'