as organizations of men. The only trouble with
gangs is that they absorb all the loyalty of the
members, turning them from and often against
the home, the Law, and the State. But that
happens in grown-ups’ gangs, too. Railroad and
other corporations are gangs which, in the interest
of their “business,” corrupt the State. Churches
are “gangs” whose members submit to evils
because, if they fought them, the church might be
hurt. So with universities, and newspapers, and
all kinds of business organizations. Tammany
Hall is only a gang which, absorbing the loyalty
of its members, turns it, for the good of the
gang, against the welfare of the city. Judge
Lindsey simply taught the members of his kid
gang what many gangs of grown-ups have to
learn, that they are citizens also, and he
turned the loyalty of the Kid Citizens’ League
back to the city, using the honour of the gang
as his lever.
Another similar case came up when two boys were brought in by a policeman from the Union Station. The policeman said they belonged to a gang the members of which stoned him wherever they saw him. Why? Well, he was trying to keep them out of the station and off the grass around the station. What were the boys doing at the station and on the station lawn ? They
