Newark post., 1913-08-20


leritance of outward likeness but
not Of an inward likeness. He
quotes Buckle and Mill, two great
most effectively on this
point. Inheritance Of traits is not
proof of inheritance Of crime. A
sensitive man with quick temper,
having been neglected as to train
ing, commits murder. His son,
and Of quick temper,
trained poorly, commits murder.
1t is not inheritance, it is lack of
understanding, lack of love, lack
of training. This expert, in deal
ing with criminals, this man who
has ruled thousands Of them, sums
up one line of argument by saying
"There is not, there never was, in
any one, tendency to commit
crime until either jails or criminal
education created it. - He adds:
i" No one wants to commit crime as
crime. A daring boy with no out
let for his energy may break into
an orchard, may next commit rob-
berry and later burglary; he would
not do so had his physical need for
exercise and his physical need for
facing danger had another outlet.
The instincts which led him into
crime were good and noble in
stincts which, finding no legitimate
channel, found an illegitimate
channel for themselves. - The hool-
iganism of cities results in this
way.
Religion,' he declares, "does
not affect crime one way or the
other. The greatest criminals are
often religious. Mediaeval Europe
was religious and criminal and
there are many other instances
which might be cited.' Again, he
says, Crime is a physical, not a
spiritual disease. And again,
"Crime is a disease Of the nation,
nay of humanity, exhibited in an
dividuals. If you have gout in
your toe it is your whole system
which is wrong.
As to why particular individuals
are criminal; he attributes 1t to
lack Of physical and nerve vigor.
plus bad training and bad environ
ment. He excepts those crimes
which are committed because OF the
repression of a natural desire. Fol
example any man, however good.
will be likely to steal if he really
has no other way Of keeping warm
in winter.
To sum up his explanation fol
most crimes: They arise from ply
steal inability to back up the spir
itual in man. The average weight
of criminals is some fifteen pounds
below normal. Malnutrition, starv
alton in childhood, overwork which
causes poor support for the body
neglect, poverty, lack of education
mutilation or crippling, especially
if it is followed by taunts and ne
glect from others so as to emblttel
the mind and add despair to il
health, drink which impairs the
bodily powers, poverty in all Its
forms, early vices that are mo-
crimes, all go to prepare the way
for life which begins III Jalls ane
ends in an electric chair. 1t is ou1
of our system of industry, Of treat
ment of the weak and the ignoran
of making the many serve the few
of public indifference to vital mat
ters, that our great, ever lncreas
ing criminal population comes
When England regards them as
race apart and hung a mother fol
stealing a handkerchief when he1
babe was hungry, as they actually
did in 1888, taking the babe from
her at the foot Of the gallows
when England shipped her con
victs to Australia by thousands
she did not diminish crime in Eng
land, even though the branding
irons and the cutting up alive wen
on by wholesale. And the children
of convicts, born at Boatany Bay
were as good as other children
They established great part OF
great nation and that portion o.
Australia is today advancing ane
enlightened. Punishment never re
forms criminal Isolation, free
dom from want, education, steady
work do at times, and the real re
ligion, though Fielding-Hall over
looks the fact, will save those wht
have it if it arouses the whole ma
ture, physical and all, as does the
"second birth" which comes tc
some.
In support of the views of this
experienced writer I recall observ
ing an orphan boy I saw daily fol
q yaar He was yery bright, very