New-York tribune., 1911-01-09
AN ANARCHIST REFUGE
America "Lying Wide 0pen," F"
Saws Andrew D. White.
To the Editor ., Tho Tribune.

To the Editor OF Tho Tribune.
Sir: Allow me, as reader OF The
Tribune ever since its first number was
issued, to thank you for the excellent
article I'm your editorial columns of yes
terday, entitled Men Without Coun-
try"
But permit me at the same time frank
~ to express some doubt as TO one state
ment made by you, both In the title OF
your article and in a statement near
it's close. Regarding the anarchists and
criminals who have been recently dealt
with severely in London. you say that
since Great Britain will now be smut
against them there will be no other
refuge left to them" and they VIII pe-
come literally men without a country
I submit very respectfully that there
seems some mistake in this. These peo-
ple have an admirable refuge, country
lying wide open TO them, In which they
will find more companions, sympathizers
and effective helpers than in any other
namely, our own.
Our nation affords them the happiest
Of happy hunting grounds. Events III
New York, in Los Angeles, In chicago
In Paterson, in scores Of towns through
out the country prove this. These per-
sons whom John Bull, In his instructive
determination to have no nonsense In
dealing with crime, seems determined 10
drive out will doubtless he pleased 10
favor this country with their presence
and TO Join the thugs, anarchists, yees-
men. safe blowers, hold-up men, mem
hers Of the Black Hand fraternity anc
the like who already enjoy American
hospitality. The pettifoggers' the senti-
mental philosophers and the "crahhS
who disbelieye in anything like prompt
and effective punishment have alreaoy
produced an atmosphere In wnlch ah
these criminals and many others Thrive
thoroughly well. The annual statistics
OF crime published in "The Chicago IT'D
me" OF December 81, 1910. which were
gathered with the greatest care and con-
scientiousness, and which have verifeo
bv careful study in more than halt the
states OF our Union during the last nj
teen wears. show that In the Unlted
States the number OF homlcides 10y
which term is meant, In all save very
few cases. murders) was during the year
Inst closed 1915, and that this Is an IN
crease Of nearly nine hundred over the
number during the year preceouis'
They also show that Of the perpetrators
Of these homicides only one In elghty-
six was capitally punished, as against
about one in geventy-fou during the
year preceding. A recent comparison oi
the criminal statistics of the city or Lon
den with those OF the city or New 1orh'
given by ",The New York Evening Post
on December "a last, shows that whiie
the number of murders during the last
year in London was nineteen the NUM-
ber In New York was lS1-and TINS III
spite of the fact that London, accord-
ing 10 the registrar generals estimates,
has a population over two millions great
or than that of New York. Recent care
full studies made by acknowledged au-
tuorities in our own country ana IN
others show that while Belgium, proo-
ahIy on account of it's mining popula-
ton and bitter political strifes. has
greater number of murders than has
any other part of Europe, save perhaps
Lower Italy and Sicily, the number OF
murders in the United States. compared
with the number in Belgium, is as about
116 TO IS; also that tho number OF MUIR
oers I'm the United States is to the num-
Der I'm Great Britain as about llo 10 TO-
With this may be coupled the fact that
the number of capital crimes IN our
country has for many years steadily in-
creased, and, indeed, is now increasing
at a greater rate than Is our popula-
ton. THE Chicago Tribune" adds that
"the most significant feature OF these
figures this year is the increase In muir
ders committed by thugs, thieves. burg
lars and hold-up men, the number being
an increase Of eighty-three over that by
the same classes of criminals in 1909.
A study OF the dealings of the English
authorities with the recent Crippen nur-
der. or indeed with any other recent
murder in the United Kingdom. and a
comparison Of Il with similar cases in
our own land, will display several rea-
sons why this country is literally the
happy hunting ground Of the worst
criminals. A glance into the exercise Of
the pardoning power in many Of our
states will reveal another; q visit TO
cur criminal courts will easily discover
vet other reasons. It is true that some
of our courts Of appeal, and especially
that Of our own state, have shown much
less disposition than formerly TO grant
new trials on futile preteXts, but there
is still room for great Improvement In
this respect in almost all our states.
In sundry recent murder trials in New
York and elsewhere the statement was
frequently made. both abroad and at
home. that our administration OF Grim
inal Justice as regards murder has be-
come a farce. These trials were by
most Of those who conducted them, and
indeed by the public at large, evidently
considered not as efforts TO secure Jus
tice, but simply as games, and mostly
between pettifoggers. the judges appear
ing much like umpires at games Of foot
ball. Safeguards devised in the Middle
Ages TO protect the weak against the
strong. or the serf against the feudal
lord, are now used with us 10 protect
The criminal and. above all the GRIM