THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8090, 7 January 1903, Page 4

THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN

(Bv J. E. Woolacott in the London Daily Express.) The Penruddoeke case- has amply shown to the world how a person of education and "high social standing may be guilty of debasing cruelty to that most helpless and pathetic of beings, a little child.

This notorious prosecution has revealed a condition of things which, unhappily, is far more widespread than one cares to think. I once interrogated the Rev. Benjamin Waugh, the director and secretary of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, on the kind of problem that was once more suggested by the terrible evidence presented at the Uld Bailey only a few days ago. '•ln the houses of the poor,' - said Mr Waugh decisively, "there is not more cruelty than in those of the rich" ; and he proceeded to declare that three of the most atrocious cases of neglect in which the society had interfered occurred in families which* enjoyed wealth, refinement, and high social standing—one in a county family ; the second in that of an aspirant to political honors ; and the third in the family of a gentleman occupying an important public office.

It is easier to discover cases of cruelty among the degraded dwellers in the slums than in -the families of persons of wealth and position. This is the avowed declaration of one who has expended many years of a busy life in protecting the children of England* from cruel torture and revolting brutality; and Mr Waugh added: 'Tri some atrocious cases the delinquents with revolting hyprocrisy have pleaded that they were actuated by a high sense of the importance of moral discipline." This was long before the case already alluded to loomed large in the public view. ■'A further advantage to the cruel among the well-to-do," said Mr Waugh early in the present year, "is that all their servants are counted worthless liars. The word of the poorest neighbor of the" laborer's wife on behalf of a child is regarded more -by magistrates than the word of half_ a dozen housemaids and nurses at a mansion, pro-, vided always that the laborer's wife is not witnessing "against a dainty figure with a Gainsborough hat and a sable-trimmed oicak." .',.,'.: .".; ■''■■

Again, touching-the conduct of "a. bland and smiling physician andhis stiff, stately wife.'' "Two pretty little girls," 7 ; said "Mr Waugli,- "are their family-.. The younger, a little - fox 'focks,' like 'socks' and 'frocks.' After this the little monster's punishment is limited onry by its father's and mother's j'owers'-bf. exertion. By way of introduction, dry bread is its dinner. That finished, it is sent; up into the night nursery, to which father and mother follow it.. There it is stripped and beaten with the whalebone stock of a rid-ing-whip. The mother; tired, the father takes his turn, till, as was sworn in evidence, head, faeey arms, -back,.thighs, knuckles are ridged and blistered-and cut to bleeding. She is then made to dress herself. Her little body turned into a mass of burning, tingling sores, her eyes black, her head swimming and. aching, her hands red and swollen, she is now set on her seat at the desk where her heinous crime was committed, made to grasp her pen and to write her copyjn her copy-book right. The little sufferer is at length put to bed, wrapped in cotton wool and salve, not by the parents, nor at their instance, but by her governess." The annals of the society unhappily contain many more cases of revolting barbarity practised by educated men and women on the helpless children committed to their charge. In -some of these the offence is aggravated by the pretence of religion. "A lady, the -daughter of a well-known clergyman, had the care of a small, nervouslystrung boy of Indian .birth of five years old. On the festival of the Resurrection, on returning from early Communion at her parish church, with a new birch rod she birched the thighs of the child. On returning from a second service at 10.30 she again birched the already tingling, scarlet members, wit-h what effect may be gathered from the wreak she. had made of her new birch rod. The housemaid testified that she swept up half a dustpanful of its broken twigs."

Even such brutalities as these are mild compared with many, that the society has met. But in the case of an educated person the responsibility is more awful, the fault more heinous; and it is mere paltering w'ifch justice to essay to prove that exposure in the case of the rich and highlyplaced, is invariably equivalent to physical punishment in that of the criminal of baser breed. It .is only in exceptional instances that, thanks to a free Press, widespread obloquy is brought down on the head of the evil-doer.

The record of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is at once magnificent and appalling. Between 1889 and 1902, 255,223 cases, involving 439,469 persons, and affecting-.662,154 children, were brought to its notice. In 184,186 instances 1 warnings were given, in 25,989 prosecutions were undertaken. Imprisonment amounting in the aggregate to 4906 years was inflicted on the offenders, in addition to fines totalling £3947. For:the year 1901-2 alone the cases num T bered 36,937, and. the prosecutions 3226, in 3122 of which convictions were secured. Seven hundred and one years of nient resulted, apart from fines of £717., It is a healthy sign that the proportion of fiiies to the extent of imprisonment has steadily declined,, for while: the imprisonment of the offender cannot help, the particular victim, it has a powerful tendency in the direction ; of deterring cowardly criminals from continuing their practices. By way of contrast to .; these fearful figures it is refreshing;to note that in every part of the kingdom there are men and women actively, co-operating.jn the ; task ; of saving the..children. ; The King and the Queen have shown keen interest in the work.., Speaking, as Prince of Wales, in 1898, his Majesty said: "If a nation's .greatness rests- on home life as its founda-tion-r-and the inhabitants of. Great Britain and Ireland leave us no doubt upon this 7 matter—the society should be supported oy~ our patriotism.. So great an influence for good depends upon the home life of the nation--that of ..the -society should be watched by those who care for the national life as well asby those who are solicitous for the welfare of. the. children^'

The problem is indeed a fearful one, for--"The child's sob in the darkness curseth deeper Than the strong man in his wrath.!' .