The Washington herald., 1914-07-19
Statute Books Are Crowded
with Useless Laws Enacted
for the Purpose of Self
Advertising and Personal
Gain.
by MRS. GEORGE p. WHITE,

By MRS. GEORGE p. WHITE,
Chairman Of the Organization Committee PennsyI
Tania Association 0ppossd TO Woman sunrage
I'VE are about the most Iawless people
in the world, and yet we think that new
laws will remedy all our troubles"
This is how DR.. Earl Kelsey, OF the
sociology department Of the University
Of Pennsylvania, in a speech before the
Commonwealth Club of San Francisco,
last week summed up his opinions OF
What Is Wrong With Our Criminal
System"
Whether We believe the first part OF
DR.. Kelsey's statement or not, We must
admit that our present representative
bodies are afflicted with a mania for
law-making that introduces new meas
ures without needing the enforcement OF
the old. In spite Of the gradual length
ening Of the intervals between legisla-
tive sessions in most OF the States, thou
sands of laws are passed every year as
the result OF political pressure, merely
to advertise some organization or TO
crafty personal ambitions.
No Practical Use.
These laws have no practical existence
outside Of the statute books, as they are
neither known by the people nor en-
forced by the officials. Politics and agi-
tation can get laws enacted, but il takes
the force Of public opinion to compel
their enforcement. Where public opinion
is against any measure that has been
slipped through" a law-making body, II
is dead letter and held in contempt,
both by the people at large, and those
sworn to exact its obedience.
Nevertheless, various bodies OF sincere
men and women today believe that most
OF the evils of our civilization could be
corrected tomorrow by the passage of
laws allowing the practice of certain
theories, never yet favorably demon
strated. in the few instances in which
they have been tested.
The Socialists, for instance would do
away with the "capitalisuc system" as
the means Of promoting industrial peace
and prosperity; disregarding the ultimate
state Of pure anarchy. or political slav-
cry, to which their theories would re-
duce the people. Another body OF theor-
lists, who bear about the same numerical
relation to the women of America that
the Socialists do to its men, would cure
all our present ills by the simple ex-
pedient Of letting women vote.
Ballot symbol of Reform.
The ballot lie the symbol with them OF
all possible achievement in reform, gov
ernment or civilization. Everything is
somewhat wrong today, they say, be-
cause the men are such blunderers, and
are without woman's help in politics
When women get the vote, they assume,
political corruption, inefficient public Of
hcials, and even low wages, along with
all our other afiictions, are going to be
done away with. How? Why. any one
ought to know that women are much
better than men, and they will nacurally
vote for better measures and more hon
est officials. OF course, no knowledge
other than a woman's intuition will be
necessary to determine what are the
better measures. and who are the honest
officials. And IL she guesses right on
both men and measures by her sublime
intuition. she will still have to depend
on public opinion, just a. she does now,