Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-02
Better Control Of Our
Detectives

/ Better CONtrOt OF ONr
| Detectives |
Columbus. Neb.. Oct. 2s.-To the
Editor of The Bee: Strikes, mob law,
bolshevism, criminal acts and the
like always follow in the wake OF
any war, to a certain extent. How
ever. 1t seems that the rumblinss
are of a more volcanic nature than
would naturally follow such a war.
great as It was. The American peo-
pie have been suffering for years
from a putrid sore, which has been
neglected, and still remains un-
healed. But under the analgesic ef-
tects Of this great war, it has re-
manned quiescent, and has given us
little or no trouble. The signing of
the armistice brought the war to
close and removed its anesthetic ef-
feet from the sore, SO that this so
long neglected irritation has become
more angry. A person can stand
great amount of suffering some
times. but the time comes when. if
no relief is obtained, the pain be-
comes unbearable and finds an out
let in unlawful and insane acts.
Who Is to blame for this condi-
ton of things? No one but the suf-
ferer himself For years we have
had the barring of undesirables"
preached to us, but we have not
needed the advice of those who gave
it. To admit undesirables now is
to invite trouble for this country,
~, Il
to us. We are beginning to sense
our mistake, but it is like locking
the barn door after the horse has
admitted, do as they always have
and disorder, and produce the ma
jority of those who commit our
greatest crimes. Judges and prose-
cutting officers are bribed or afraid
to maintain order. Criminals are
convicted and then turned loose.
Many times criminals would receive
severer punishment and more jus
tice If left to the Judge rather than
the jury. People blame the courts
for not acting when they themselves
are at fault, because IL of their
peers decided the criminal not
guilty. The judiciary are at fault
when they allow attorneys to abuse
witnesses, and when they order
money spent in the defense of
person who pleads guilty. The
courts are at fault when dishonesty
is allowed in the practice before
them, and when they select jurors
who cannot speak or understand
English, or the language of the
American. Our higher authorities.
as we'll as the lower. are neglecting
their duties every day without being
reproved by~their superiors.
This sore have been writing
about is the result Of our past trans
gressions. There was a time when
children were taught to obey their
parents and respect their elders;
but. alas! such teaching is now OBJ
solete. At the present time it is
no uncommon thing to hear children
not vet in school contradicting or
calling their father or mother
Glars" "old fools" and the like,
without being reprimanded. Edu-
cation is the root Of the whole evil.
The mother who is responsible for
much of what her child knows be-
fore he or she goes to school mas
never been taught how to raise chill
dren. consequently the child in the
majority of cases gets on the wrong
track, and is like an uncultivated
plant-wild and you can't make any
thing else out of 1T.
The immigrant is like child anu
it is the duty Of the state or nation
to see that they are gotten onto the
right track and they should see that
they stay there. We must nave
obedience if we ever expect to -lave
good government. I wonder now
many adults could repeat the Ten
Commandments? I venture the per
cent would be small-still they are
embodied in the statutes OF every
state. II we make laws for the
government of our people, we shouid
see that they are enforced. II we
can't do it or the laws are obnox-
ious to majority of the people
repeal them. Every immigrant. ev-
ery child, every vagrant, crlminal or
other suspicious person should be
compelled to take a physical, men,
tai and character analysis eXamlna-
ton. and IL they are found in any
way detected they should be re-
turned to the country from whence
they came, even though they had
gained admission to our country. or
they should be placed where they
can be best handled. Most GRIM
inals are detectives in some way.
Most backward children In schooi
are, defective. Character analysis.
psychology and the like will weed
the feebleminded detected from the
physically defective. believe / can
do this and others can II properly
educated. The capacity Of each fac
ulty should be considered and utii-
lied for good l would get all the
detectives registered and kept con.
stantly under control. l would
teach them obedience and respect
for good government. would let
them have free rein, but guide them
in the direction where they would
become the most useful. II they
did, not have enough mentality to
respect the laws of good society !
would put them under institutional
restraint. Persecution never helped
anyone. would teach by firm
ness and kindness. l believe we
have much to learn in the matter or
public welfare, and that it will take
men and women with common sense
and hearts to correct many of these
evils and not a policeman with
club using brute force and having
little or no brain.