Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11
Charles F. Weller Talks of
= Whipping Post.
THINKS IT UNWISE
GRAVE DANGER IN APPLICATION
TO SOCIAL PROBLEM.
Worse Than Returning to Practices OF
the Ancients-opinions Of
Other People.

Perhaps Us well qualified to speak con-
corning conditions of the poor of Washing
ton, and therefore to offer testimony upon
the sociological phase Of the wife-beating
problem, is Mr.. Charles F. Weller, general
secretary of the Associated Charities OF TINS
CITY, Mr.. Weller has devoted his life to a
close study of the lower classes, and in this
and other cities has conducted inquiries
which have brought him squarely in con-
tact with this evil. He is distinct oppo-
nent of the whipping post as remedy Tor
wife-beating or any other ofense against
the statutory or moral laws, and in the 1oi-
lowing statement he gives his reasons 1or
this view, and his general OBSERVATIONS
upon the subject in form that constitutes
a valuable contribution to the thousht Oh
these lines:
What we should have to fear from the
introduction of the whipping post is sus-
eested l think. by the fact that this minor,
incidental suggestion in the Presldeh"s
message has so absorbed public attention
that one hears nothing concerning housing
Improvement, compulsory education and
the Presidents constructive suggestions
concerning local problems of fundamental
Importance. The appeal to ultimate, pnySi-
cal force is fascinating. 1t challenges our
magina ton. The other local reforms SuS-
geSted are tame AFFAIRS, dl tiiA Ou6h
detailed Investigations, promising only a
few forward steps, and suggesting a Wnoie
line of tedious, evolutionary work TO 1oi-
low. The whipping post, on the other mana,
appears to be simple dramatic, positive
and final solution for an annoying problem
Here is the graVeSt danger, namely, that
we should conclude that complicated,
difficult social problem can be solved by
simple patent process, which requlres-not
analysis or study, or spiritual powers-but
merely a post, a lash and muscular arm:
When such a view has once been accepted
there will be a constant tendency to de-
velop and extend it. Experience in the Ell
mira reformatory and elSewhere show that
one characteristic danger of corporal pun
ishment is the inevitable temptation to de-
pend upon it more and more. In Washing
ton, for example, it has already been sug-
gested by one of our most kindly and pub
lic-spirited citizens that the whipping post,
devised for wife heaters, should also be
used in cases of larceny. 1t is remark
able, though familiar fact that practical
men, who are immedia tely suspicious about
any easy scheme for gaining riches quick
are often gladly convinced that important
social results can be effected without
trouble or the mastery of details.
eff we review the methods of modern
progress in medicine, or pedagogy, or pc
nology we find that good case work has
been the fundamental force. The reforma-
tory superintendent, like the doctor or
teacher, must study his patient thorough
ly. must know his history, environment and
internal promptings. Besides studying the
individual case the person who seeks to
accomplish remedial work will also study
classes of cases in order to deduce from
causes which are found to be general rem
edies which will be general also. Think,
for instance, of the long, tedious processes
of study and experiment through which
physicians have learned to cure diphtheria
and to prevent tuberculosis.
Last to Feel Progress.
1.-THE police court machinery of any city
is apparently one of the last departments
of municipal life to feel the influence of
these modern, progressive methods. Visits
to almost any American police court will
show quickly how very superficial and In
adequate is the courts knowledge of the
prisoner on trial, how formal and limited
are the principles of judgment and how
mechanical is the treatment applied in the
form of twenty dollars or forty days.
etcetera. Now the idea of basing judicial
actlon upon adequate inquiry, and making
1t a remedy rather than mere legal revenge
is slowly finding its way into our penal
machinery through such DEVELOPMENTS as
the juvenile court and the probation officer.
The fundamental feature in these is the
idea that when a boy is charged with being
delinquent he is investigated: his home Is
visited, neighbors interviewed and others
consulted VINO nave know nboth the boy and
his particular offense. Then the Judge tries to
determine how this boy may be restored to
normal ways, and one fayorite method oP
treatment is to send him back to his home
under the friendly guardianship of a re-
sourceful probation officer, whose task is
to supply the steadying and upbuiIdinp IN.
fiuences whose lack caused the bows trans
erosion Similar principles and methods of
treatment are being worked out in case of
Older Offenders by the great reforuatorioe
with their trade schools, their Indifferent
nate sentences and the system of nroha-
uonary parole.
Its Chief Danger.
The whipping post is chiefly dangerous
IN my opinion, because it is, in effect an i'm,
patent remuneration of such painstakine
graduai developments as these and a rever-
sion TO the theory that you can properlv
treat CRIME by some simple, uniform. natent
process. 1t Is as If the physician throw
away his microscope, burned his library
dismissed the trained nurse and resumed
the ancient practice of using only two rom
edies for everything, calomel and bleeding
We are told that the local courts encou,ter
some brutal cases of wife beating We aro
NOT asked 10 learn something more about
these Offenders as to whether MANY arc
drunkards, some mentally deficient the NO
Jorlty uneducated or the products of neg
iect We are not advised as to what treat
ment the wives OF these men recommend.
nor are we told anything about the stand
ards and conditions of life which prevail in
the homes and social circles from which the
culprits come. We are not advised to eno.
ploy an expert to work out, for local apnIi
cation, the best methods of remedial treat
ment tried by the leading penologists Of
other states. Instead, 1t Is suggested. In ef
feet, that such tedious, painstakinp meth
DDS OF discovering remedy for wife beat
ing are unnecessary, and we only need IN
pick up the discarded whip of ancient davs
The Endorsement of such a tendency I'm this
one class of cases will, l fear fneyitabIv
postpone In every department of our lower
penal machinery the much-needed deyelop-
ment or more intelligent remedial methods
OF treating all classes of offenders
4 have purposely refrained from suggest
Ing some of my own theories as to possihia
cures Tor wife beating, because nv chief
point Is that what is needed is a thorourh-
going study of the problem, rather than an
EFFORT to draw remedies hastily out OF onr
imagination or out of the SCRAP heap of dis
carded punishments. Such practical sig
gestions as am able to submit may best be
drawn from consideration of the some
what analogous problem of wife desertion
and non-support A brief review Of the
methods by which this class of Offenders a re
being studied will suggest what believe to
be the only profitable manner and noint IF
view In which to approach the problem or
wife beating. Some of the definite conclu-
sions reached may also be appItcable for
the man who deserts his wife and cbiidrar
must have some traits OF chars eter In na,,
va.l1a yrtft ftz1