The Washington herald., 1920-11-09
n When tillage begins, other arts follow.
: The farmers, therefore, are the founders of
.civiizztion.-Daniel Webster
Are We Law Abiding or Eawless PeopIe?

u AYMOND Fosdick, during the war served his
IN country ably as chief of the civilian arm of
the military forces that guarded the morals
and cheered the spirits of soldiers and sailors. Fol-
lowing the he designated as one of the
staff of the United States on the league of nations
But with the attack upon the league that began
soon after he joined the staff he had sympathy;
and as ne came to believe that the United States
might function in such an organization and
as he found his position less anomalous,
he finally decided to withdraw from his post and
return to duties that were rewardng
in practical results.
His attention years ago, when he first dedicated
his career to social service, attracted to the
problem of crime in urban communities; and during
the years that he served in responsible positions
in the government of New York City, he did not
omit to gather data In 1913 he went to Europe
agent of the Bureau of Social Hygiene to
study the organization of the police departments of
the large cities. so that whenever New York re-
turned to administration of its police department
that actually hostile to crime and uncontrolled
by the forces of evil. it might have the benefit of
Europes experience to aid it in handling criminal
population quite unlike in many respects anything
that the city knew prior to the last decades of the
last century,.
His report on this important subject in all its
ramihcations, is now being issued by the bureau.
1t has been brought up date and it includes sta
tiscs to the relative amount of crime in Europe
and in this country which are startling, for the
survey has been made inclusive and it is based on
facts that make possible judgments on a national
scale.
Expressed tersely the ominous fact, according
to Mr.. Fosdick, is that we are fast becoming one
OF the most lawless peoples existing; that have
adequate force able to execute law as it should
be enforced; and that unfortunately, and most
or1inouS of an facts, weakening IN morale
and IN disposition either punish crime or deal
vigorously with criminals This being so, according
to- this investigator, the average citizens dnty is
With his official servant who may be derelict If
tho average does not believe In the necessity
the sancty the majesty of law, he need not ex-
pen his Official servant to- There is no escaping
this logic
In an the classic interpretations of the Ameri-
cap spirit that to be found m great orations
setnons and documents of state there always has
b mnch Ep loyalty 10 @sanctty of law" But
fuf1gn observers from the earliest days of the
colonies have subfy intiatrd that creed and deed
did always go hand m hand Even the best of the
original race stocks had way with them of tax
mt execution OF Justice INTO their own hands This
w Pre-emrnently true m the pioneering days II was
kprrn that did not wholly pass when courts were
Sd and communities settled down. Our inherent
mf yiduahsm made stronger by theory of inde-
lfnnencr and emphasis on nights, facilitated the
&i1 toward questioning the authority of law which
IS the voice of the community; and TO cap the
cHlax- spirit Of optimism and goodwill came in
tDk nducr Judges, jnries and public opinion to be
Lei ert with proved offenders
fThe process has been going on for long lime
anf we now begin to of the logical re-
Snts IN hightfn1 number of murders with no de-
te1ion- much less punishment of the guilty; in
Tfng total OF value Of property stolen and in null
. frtying cases OF citizens taking reversionary
course and Iesorting TO mass violence and lynch
1as for offences of many kinds and all trivial To-
dzy Il may be athlete bounded by a New Jersey
5rrban mob. tomorrow a clergyman who dares to
AID m enforcing prohibtory law, and the next
day consdenreless prohteer who is mobbed The
potrt IS that hanrzh lie such IS on a lower rat
md trust IN ordinary processes of law is waning
AM when either judge a sheriff, or a superin-
tedent Of police asserts his authority and acts as
IL laws were meant TO be obeyed, he is not at all
sure that he viii be backed morally and legally by
his community.
1Mr- Fosdick does not hesitate to argue that this
geterai situation IS due somewhat to the increas-
iHs variety of our population and to the difficulties
fht arise, especially in large cities, from elements
OF the population that have more attachment to
personal methods of getting what they want than
they have for a system which is defined and exc
euted by the community. There is something IN
this explanation but it does not account for rrey-
er$ pee and substantial anarchy among the descend
Isnt of emigrants who were bred to obey common
laa and to trust judges and juries to do the right
most of the time
The League and Latin America.