WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 374, 18 August 1926, Page 17

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.

How often do we hear this said by parents. “I’m sure my mother must have been perfect as a girl,’’ said one daughter. A young man asked bis mother: “Were you ever young. Mother?” “Well, yes,” replied bis mothej ”1 suppose I was." “Well, I'm sure l’a never was,” asserted the youth, whose feelings had been wounded. We think that elderly people must have short memories, they don't mean to tell untruths. But, every generation we read books written wondering what the young people an* coming to. Fifty years ago. earnest preachers condemned buggy riding, now they tell us the motor is responsible for a terrible amount of **vil among the young, and we suppose the preacher of the next generation will condemn the flying machine. Times have altered, ways of living have changed, but we believe human nature remains the same as ever. 1 was very pleased to read lately from F.S.A., some fine tribute to their young people from those who mix with them and know them. The principal of ore of Washington's large public schools addressing the W.C.T.U. of that £>istrict, voiced the conviction that “less than 2 per cent, of our young people are doing the wrong thing.” We are told that prohibition is ruining the young people of U.S.A., and making them law- breakers. A correspondent from the States writes thus to us: “There is a lot of talk

about conditions being had, and many believe what they hear. I’ve taken up domicile in Government hotels to see how the girls think and talk and act, and I haven't seen one thing objectionable with 2,000 young women sent here for Government work. They are away from home, and I fail to see any suggestion of drinking or tolerating it. At the tables we have no reserved space, so have different ones ut each meal, and the conversations have been most earnest and of a high type.” Another letter says: “Nobody says prohibition is an absolute success any more than the laws against murder —■ but it is a million times better than the wets wish it to he.—l seldom Hee ail intoxicated man—and I URed to seg them by the dozens. There is so much talk about the young people it is getting to he part of the course in high schools, that the senior classes visit Washington, and literally thousands come at a time -and have been in a constant stream since March. The manager of a large hotel says that he raters exclusively to school groups these months, and though the head house-keeper and maids have been ordered to look out for flasks left in rooms (and they’d leave them if they used them) they Save never found one. He has dealt with the schools for the last ti nr ft years -pioneer in the school tour catering. The young people are being slandered. Mrs Tilton says: ‘lt takes many, many flasks to equal one saloon.*’’