No one denies that vagrancy is a deep-rooted malady in our coun-try, neglected by those responsi-ble; 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 occa-sion that the children of today are the men and women of tomor-

row? Have we, then, prepared them to carry the responsibilities of tomorrow, to be sincere patriots, men and women, under-standing 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 reforma-tory a reformatory in the intended sense?

And what has woman done to treat this disease, whose treat-ment 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 sacri-ficing 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