The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-12-22
SOCIETY'S CHIEF DANGERS LIE
WITH ITS ABNORMAL MEMBERS
Stupidity Makes More Criminals Than 1nsanity-By Dis
covering Unfit in Advance Greater Portion Of Worlds
Wrong-doing Can Be Prevented.
Edward Marshall in New York
Times.)

are aDfOrmdiltleS, III Il SeliSt dDolioh-
able, seems to be more and more gen
orally the trend Of modern thought.
But you will say, this has been
the thought of all the ages. 1t has
been the belief hat his was true
which has formed the basis OF and
excuse for all moral teaching"
There is where the change seems to
be coming. 1t now IL generally agreed
by the most progressive of modern IN
yestigators that improvement will not
come principally through moral effort,
but that ii will be due to scientific
effort.
In other words. our knowledge OF
imperfect humanity seems to have
reached the stage beyond which 1t
may he possible not only to do more
thar ever before toward healing all
ing minds but to approach the prob
lem OF prevention.
Throughout the world and, perhaps,
more especially in the United States.
1t is beginning to be recognized that
men n wOmen who go wrong usually
are victims of something over which
they themselves have not complete
control. Environment and other early
influences have long been recognized
as powerful factors in character crea-
ton; now it is admitted that, environ
ment aside, men and women are not
born morally equal.
| have talked with several in
~dividuals of scientific eminence about
this matter. Not very man. months
ago DR.. Max c.. Schlapp discussed his
theories of the subject in one Of these
interviews, and, a year or w before
that. Miss Katherine Bement Davis,
now Commissioner Of Correction,
told what was being done at Bedford
Hills R~eformatory in the way Of
effort to discover the real causes OF
W~rongdoing among girls.
Now comes DR.. Woods Hutchinson,
fresh from an investigative Western
tour, with hopeful reports of work at
two Institutions and some illuminat-
ing theories.
my journey to the two p~enitentia-
ries, one in Kansas and one in Michi-
gan City said DR.. Hutchinson, IVA
purely a measure to crafty my per
sonal curiosity. When l am travelling
/ have a way of looking into such in.
teresting things as come along. from
economic conditions to criminal vaga
rieS.
"As q medical man l am intensely
interested in the improvement Of tn
race. of course, and efforts at i'm
provement will be directed principal,
toward the notably imperfect, as found
in hospitals and penal or semi-pena
institutions. The hospitals will dea
with the physical mar principally, an,
the prisons will deal with the mora
man, as the asylumS will deal with tn,
mental man. Presently we shall fin
that the three are far more closet
linked than we have thought. TIL
two prisons which | speak Of hav
discovered this.
Each of these institutions, Whic'
are not at all connected, managed t
get for its head a competent priso
physician. Note the emphasis whic
I put upon the word competent
Prison physicians. usually, are me
appointed TO their Jobs for politi
cal purposes. 1t usually is assume
that any doctor who has sense enoug
to jump when he sees a building fal
ing toward him has sense enough t
run q prisons medical end. TT
prisons Of the United States. and
presume, to some extent of the worl,
have been the dumping ground fC
men OF low intelligence In the co
ridors as well as in the cells, in tf
keepers uniforms as we'll as in tt
striped livery of their enforced il
mates.
Chosen "a Of Merit.
These two doctors are not of II
usual type. and they were chosen fl
the unusual reason that they ha
shown especial fitness for such post
One had been at the Federal Hospit
" tliC "a Il slSIllLiStOlI, dI
the other had trained himself for tt
specialized work which he had chose
first at the University of Kansas al
then at the University of Chicago.
Both are diggers. Both are wor'
ing along the lines vaguely laid dow
by Huxley, rather than along the lin
definitely laid down by the moralist
Huxley said that most criminals e
because they cannot help erring. al
that we punish them for doing the
things because we can't help puniS
ing them.
Most Of the p~unishments are
much to be regretted as the Grim
Tor which they are administered, a
In the establishment of this fact t
work of these two men is opening
new viStaS. Their most importa
detail may be told in one sentent
Most criminals are not bad, but g
stupid.
sScianNa 10 ouyoi-a;~- - 49, g.