The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-14
DRINK AND CRIME.
The Faiiacy Of n Eavoritc Prohibition
Argument EXPOSED.

Argument Exposed.
To THE EDITOR or THE SuN--Sir. The
news article that appeared In THE Sun
OF July under the caption "Convicts
Make War on the Rum Demon and
! told of a petition signed By the prisoners
OF the Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsyl-
vania praying the Legislature OF that
State to submit the question of statewide
prohibition to the voters Is not. In my
opinion. "the strongest sociological argu-
ment ever made against the liquor
traffic" which those behind this petition
would have us believe. The whole letter
reads as though II came from the prohi-
billion press bureau at Harrisburg. The
petition Ia heralded as being "a wonderful
argument against the liquor traffic
am willing To admit that this scheme TO
petition the Pennsylvania Legislature for
statewide prohibition from the confines
of a penitentiary Is unique and artful, but
] believe VI will fail of its purpose. for
the convict belongs to the socially pro-
scribed class and his word and opinion
go for naught He is recognized as an
enemy TO society. and society doesn't
generally listen to or ask for advice from
Its enemies. Now let us look at the
other side OF this so-called sociological
argument.
The congenltal degenerate In prison for
n nameless crime feels less responsible
for his guilt when he falsely points to
the saloon and drink as the cause OF his
crime. The ingenious inquirer, who may
be minister or sentimental college girl
Infused with the "upllft" mania. records
another mark against the liquor traffic.
How many OF our statistics of the al
legged ravages OF alcohol are based upon
Just such reports? So q In with many
other inmates OF our jais and asylums.
They tearfully ascribe their downfall to
the curse OF drink not TO abnormal traits
IN fhp Vaaipaga Hafapfa ~ "a
moral nature, because the alleged victim
OF drink or drugs excites pity and sym
pathy not usually accorded to the de-
llberate criminal yet II Is n well known
fact that many burglars. gamblers and
gunner" are total abstainers, denying
themselves the use OF tobacco in order,
TO their way of thinking. that the nerves
required In the exercise of their calling
may be keyed UP to the highest EN-
cheney
The girl who goes wrong because OF
some hereditary weakness. love OF hnery
or animal qualification, and who in her
downward career may be found in back
room kept by too complainant saloon
Keeper or In the luxurious apartments OF
our finest hotels and apartment houses.
somehow salves her conscience by bam-
ing her plight on drink and the saloon
Social workers whose uplifting endeavors
are sincere and free from personal glori-
fication are coming to realize that many
young women entered upon lives OF
shame long before they began TO drink.
The accompanying effect should not be
COMPOUNDED with the cause
Supporting these statements Is the con-
tention OF Al ]. Jennings. one noted
bandit and who Is now candidate for
the Governorship Of Oklahoma. He re-
Gently told the story OF his life and his
experiences as a convict In the Saturday
Evening Post. Jennings says:
Par, OF my duty was to interrogate In.
coming prisoners concerning their private
lives and enter the answers on tho proper
blanks Then and there had light on
prison statistics. one Of the questions ran;
ITO what do you attribute your downfall ?"
In nine cases out OF ten tho experienced
prisoner answered Drink" Men who
never tasted liquor because they did not
| like II. returned that answer Just the same.
To begin with 1t was good. easy. con
ventional reason. which stopped further
questioning and then II gave the burglar.
the murderer and the counterfeiter an ex-
cuse to work up sympathy. Men who had
| served many terms used to smile as they
said 1t: and grew tired Of putting
down this insincere answer that l used to
write Natural depravity" or Common
thief" which were just as near the truth.
! Again. the absence OF home influence
coupled with the fact that the majority
| or prisoners are strangers in places
where they commit crime and are conse-
quently beyond the influence OF parents.
| brothers, sisters and other relatives. Is
quite noticeable among the conditions that
| conduce to crime. The criminal, too. il
generally idle when he commits a crime
| Crimnologtsts tell us that certain men
and women actually commit criminal
deeds TO assure themselves OF a refuge in
some penitentiary something 20 eat and
a place TO sleep. Scientific research has
shown us that congenital mental defec-
| tiveness Is present in criminal classes to
hitherto unsupported extent which
means that intemperance may be as much
associated with criminalty as before, but
that In multitude of cases II is TO be
| regarded as a symptom OF an abnormal
condition rather than It's cause. In other
words, II we had fewer mentally defective
persons We should have less crime.
JEROME A. Ross.
NEWARK, y. j.. July IS.