New-York tribune., 1908-03-09
PREVENTION BEST CURE.
Punishment Needed for Acts Which
Nay Cause Injury.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: During the last few days Captain Van
schack's sentence Of ten years in prison uegIi-
gence as captain of the steamer SIocum has been
affirmed, and automobilist over in New Jersey
has been sent to the penitentiary for year and a
half for causing the death OF Manager Jacobs
Both Of these received severe sentences. not
because they violated the law and exposed people
10 death but because they were unIucky.
Many others did just what these did; few
were punished by trivial fine: the most not
punished at all This New Jersey automobiles
goes to the penitentiary for eighteen months. not
because he his automobile at high rate of
speed through crowded streets. but because his
machine happened TO hit and kill prominent
Captain Van Schack gets ten-year sentence. not
because he neglected his duty but because cook
upset OF grease and started fire which
caused over thousand people to lose their
lives II it had not been for the upsetting Of that
pan Of grease Captain Van Schaick would prob
ably still be in command OF the Slocum
The person who does what may injury
is Just as deserving of punishment though he does
NOT in fact 10 IS the person who does the
same thing and does cause harm for it is simply
accident that injury results in case and
not In the other
Severely TO punish those who actually cause
great injury probably has little effect in prevent
ing people from doing what causes such catas-
trophies as the burning Of the Slocum and such
sad occurrences as the killing of Manager Jacobs
Great numbers Of people have implicit confidence
in their own luck The immense amount or gam
bling done proves this Each thinks that what
he does will not result seriously and he takes the
chances
The consequence is that great many people arr
killed and a still larger number are injured IN
various ways, all of which could easily be avoided
at little trouble expense 20 any one The way
to stop this unnecessary killing and inJuring OF
people is ad aquateIy punish those who do what
may cause death or injury. II six months before
the burning OF the SIocun Captain Van Schaick
or any other steamboat captain had been sent to
prison for two months the SIocum would probably
never have been burned, and IL during the last
few years It had been the practice 10 send auto
mobile speeders TO prison Manager Jacobs and a
great many others who have been killed by auto
mobiles probably would not have been killed.
BY throwing banana skins the streets. BY
making unnecessary noise, by splitting and doing
various other things that could easily be avoided
people infict great injury. In many cases cause
death by a lingering and painful disease People
would soon stop doing what may cause injury to
others if they convinced that getting caught
meant prison or at least stiff fine, and 1t Ger
taInlv is better that a few lawbreakers be sent
to prison rather than that many should die violent
deaths many others contract fatal diseases and
still many others suffer annoyance, pain and IN
Jury In different ways.
II is protection against injury rather than ven
geauce for injury after IT is inflicted that is i'm
portant TO people L.
New York, Feb II. 1908.