Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
JAIL PLACE FOR
RICH THIEVES,
SAYS FORBES
But Doors Seldom Admit Pluto
Gratis Robbing Poor-SiegeI
and VogeI Scored,
BY r. C. FORBES.

II Siege! and Nogel, Of New YORK.
do not go to jail. property henceforth
will be less safe in the United States.
have seen many tragedies in
many countries, but, apart from war
and fire and earthquake. | do not re-
call one quite so pathetic. II its per
petrators can not be punished, then
who can blame the people If they de-
Yelop contempt for law and order?
One reader sends me two clippings.
the first recording refusal of bail to
man charged with petty dishonesty.
and tho second describing the enor-
nous sums taken from poor people
BY Siegcl and Nogel--hotn Of whom
are still 81 liberty rs there such a
thing as Justice in this country he
asks Many other correspondents
have sent in letters full Of iustifiable
anger and bitterness
And did YOU notice that Siegel de-
clared jauntily that If the depositorS
he has defrauded do not come to his
terms he will use money available for
them To fight the indictments brought
against him? The inference conveyed
was that this money would do the
trick
Now. Of all the dangerous beliefs
held by millions of people in America,
the most disturbing is that money
can stay the hand of justice, can keep
scoundrels out of prison and can out
rage the will of the people as ex-
pressed In statutes which are applied
quickly enough to unfortunates with
out wealth IL Siegel and Vogel go
scot free, this belief, so subversiVe
of national peace and stability, can
but become alariningly intensified.
Il Is almost as easy to put a rich
man through the eye OF needle AZ
through prison bars. This ought not
to be II America is to last as a re-
public Of orderly government, such
condition must be changed.
Why should 1t be wel-nigh impos
gible to convict the stealer of millions
and so easy to railroad to prison the
stealer Of cents or food or pair OF
shoes?
In no other country can wealth be
used 10 fiout the law half 50 Migrant
~ as here II is sometimes done open
ly 1t is often done secretly.
There is no justice for the poor
man in this country" said former
supreme Court judge recently
LawS efs are more to blame than
those who employ them to defeat The
ends of justice. When Tweed can
command the services of a Root, what
need be- expected Of lesser lights /
have known lawyers who would not
1af3 Lace re 10
innocence. Here the question is not
one Of innocence CT guilt, IL Is one Of
wealth or poverty Give an able law
Yer unlimited cash to draw upon and
no sCoundrel lis too debased TO be kept
out of the just clutches of the law.
Every rich lawhreaker saved from
punishment by means OF his money
becomes douhlv the enemy Of the re-
public He breeds a spirit of law
lessness. OF revolution, Of anarchy.
He fosters contempt for our estab-
lished Institutions
! discussed this subject at dinner
with Senator Owen, who came TO
New York To inspect the stock ex-
changes machinery | assured him
that the worst WAL street" often
derS are not the governors OF the
stock exchange are honest--but
the INSCRIPTIONS. plutocratic buCca
neers who use the exchange to milk
the public, rascals who sit at the end
OF q dozen telephone wires and give
ont their deCeltful orders TO as many
different brokers II realize" said
the Senator. that these are the fell
lows We want 10 reach; but how to
get Al them is a problem. This prob
lem we ere trying to solve
But what would be the use Of get
ting at" any riGger of stock markets
VI men who have done the things
brought home to Siegel and Nogcl
can because OF their command OF
money. escape Jail? The disappear
anee OF the fund deducted for sick
benefits constitutes the last straw.
Meanness could go no further
wOald ike ~ make the suggestion
that some nhildnthropist come for
qrdrd and sdut from destitRtion the
more needy Of the Sicgel depoSitors
Who Wdl respond
We have men in this country with
both The heart and the money TO as
SuagC the Tragedy. No more worthy,
no more patriotic, no nohler act could
be performed at this moment Let
some benefactor witness the scenes
when the depositorS meet and ven
ture 10 think his compassion win be
aroused
We respond to foreign appeals for
famine and suffering. Here at home
is an object not less urgent. not less
humane
Who Will come 10 the rescue Who
viii listen TO the despaIring cry Of the
more helpless victims
Incidentally, let nobody hinder the
passing of laws now being prepared
To render similar swindles impossi-
BILE In future