Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/151



into the game; helps them and, since the more fellers there are in on it, the easier it is for you — it helps you.

One of the early cases in the Juvenile Court was that of seven boys brought before him by a policeman who had caught them wiring tip signal- boxes, hopping cars, stoning motormen and con- ductors, and otherwise interfering with the traf- fic of the street railway. The boys were either tearful or sullen, and they denied the testimony of the officer and his witnesses. The Judge took them into his chambers. There he cleared away all ideas of punishment, and got down to the truth. The Judge could see that it was fun, but also he could see that what was fun for the boys was trouble for the conductors and motor- men; it made life hard for them, delayed them, and got them home late. The boys hadn’t thought before of these railroad men as human beings, only as fair game, as fellers what’d give you a chase if you held ’em up.” So the Judge gave the boys a good view of the men’s side of the fun, then he said:

“ Tain’t fair, is it, fellers ?”

“No, sir.”

“Well, what do you say to cuttin’ it out?”

They agreed. But there was more for these boys to do than simply to quit themseK es. There