Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-22
WH|PP|NCPOST
BEST METHOD OF
PUM|SH|NC CRIME
It's Efficiency Praised and Its
Introduction in Missouri
Recommended
BY FORMER DELAWAREAN

Special Correspondence OF Every Eveniug
Dover, Nov. 2O.-That the whipping
post n deemed one of the most effective
means for the punishment Of criminals and
the checking of crime was argued by \
former DelawArean, Hon. Elmer n.
Powell, a prominent member of the bar
III Kansas City, Mo. in an address before
the Kansas City Bar Association III that
city few DAYS ago, in advocacy OF the
employment Of corporal punishment Tor
certain crimes in Missouri
The press Of Kansas City gave wide
publication TO the address of Mr.. Powell
and h,s recommendation was indorsed by
the Bar Association.
Citing the fact that crime has in
creased out Of all proportion TO the IN
crease in population Of the country, and
sufggcsting the whipping post as perhaps
a most extreme method of punishment,
but one necessary TO clean up Kansas
Citv. Mr.. Powell in support OF his con-
tertion as 10 the efficacy of the whipping
poet, said:
"Crime ha. increased out of all pro-
portion 20 our population. Treatment OF
CRIME rs a disease, the intermediate
sentence with its parole. the employment
of prisons IA moral hospitals, fighting
orimc with science and other remedies
offered by eminent criminologists may
serve future generation, but, practically
considered, ! am one of those who with
every respect for our learned criminolo-
gists cannot subscribe TO all these theories
rs CRIME deterrents 10 this generation.
The present time is clean up time IN
Kansas City and time to be UP and
dong What we are most concerned
about in this city is an effective remedy
that will check the further operations OF
he criminal element here, 10 place
,heck upon the terrible tragedies we are
mfTering
Kansas City ranks third in criminal
yay with other cities OF the United States,
lespite the fact that il ranks nineteenth
IN population. Would not the whip of
Justice administered TO criminals in public
prevent crime in Missouri? Figures COM
piled hv Justice of the United States are
,stounding as 20 the condition in this city
and II Is time for very extreme preventa-
tive measures
The State of Delaware has demon
.trated by It's adoption and admins
ration of the whipping post law for legal
punishment that Il is better 70 stand alone
Tor that which is right than TO stand with
the multitude for that which Is wrong IN
penal institutions Delaware is without
tho type of scientific criminal found in
other States of the Union.
Delaware policy. as shown ny its
egal record OF giving 60 the accused
speedy trial. as well as punishment that Is
iust, but quick, sure and lasting, has
-sved that STATE from the shame of mobs
md the sbominatlon Of mob law
II would submit that in view Of Dela-
wares splendid history. the lash of crtl-
rlsI should b, suppla nted with words Of
tpiHoval and edmiration for the courage
u the proud people of that Stste IN hold |
ing up the whipping post rs penal iDsti- |
tuition i0 the face of pltiless criticism
OF more thsn one dozen letters from !
po,ed crimiRologists and judges which ! !
have received from different parts Of the |
'ountrv. only one, the warden of the |
state prison of Kansas, opposes the use |
4 the whipping post for the correction
i criminals
The record Of crime IN Delaware
nraves concmsively that the State has
uccn justified IN the continued enforce
,nent Of the statute providing for the
whipping post
MIR Powell Is native OF Pennington.
Delaware, later coming to Dover, where
10 attended the Wilmington Conference
Ncademy, graduating from thst instltu-
tion and later from Dickinson College.
lie located in Kansas City seversi years
ago. wherr he took up the practice Of law
Tie has served a term IN the Missour
Legislature, has been at the head OF the
Bsr Association Of that city and Is one
of iss most prominent attorneys. He Is
a brother Of Judge Walter A. Powell Of
this town. who for many years was also
4 practiclng attorney in Kansas City and /.
laser became one of the State judges Of
Missouri