South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-20
Man S LawS We're
Thou Shalt Not
Enforcement Acts
BY ARTHUR REID.

The oldest laws in the world
have been violated uncounted bill
lions OF times. They are violated
every day OF every year and they
will be violated similarly through
out time They are violated so per
sistently by so many people every
where that some OF them. az least.
might almost be said 10 be dead
letters. They are far from that,
however
The ten commandments form the
nucleus OF virtually all the law. writ
ten and unwrittcn. that We h6~
They make up the moral law and
have been neither weakened nor
strengthened By man by incorpor-
ating them into his statutes. Is 20
not curious thing that mere man
has found IL either necessary or de
sirable 10 legisiate 10 enforce tn
functions issued from heaven lie
did so, OF course. not with any
thought OF making them laws, for
that already had been done as com
pletely as IL IS possible 10 be done.
In truth. our criminal statutes
founded on the moral laws, are but
enforcement acts. II man were
different from what ne IS these lat
ter would be unnecessary. But man
isn't 4 great many OF him there
are who simply Will not obey. They
have but imperfect respect for any
law and none at all for some laws
They make a showing OF reverence
for authority, divine or human. only
when IL is convenient 70 their pur-
poses so 10 do. Others are not law
breakers but they might be were
they not in fear OF tho penalties
which the laws provide for those
who violate them, as they feel that
II II were not against the law they
would like 20 do some forbidden
things These are potential Law
breakers. From their reaction 20
man made laws we learn the indis-
pensability OK the statutes which
have been enacted. These same
people would be violators OF the
moral laws were they not restrained
by conscience, which imposes its
own penalties for evil-doing. From
all OF which we observe that no law
is self-enfOrcing.
without penalty clause attached
criminal statute Is worthless. You
know even the commandments are
not without their promise OF ter
rible punishment for those who -
counter 10 them. The fundamental
moral laws have enforcement acts
written into them. And deep in the
p
things divine or IN things human
there Is conviction that these laws
should be obeyed, however those
same people may transgress them.
Has II occurred TO you that with
possibly one exception there never
has been a serious proposition 90
modify any OF the moral laws b.
statutory act? The human con
science rebels against anything Ike
that
There is ia Their a widespread ten
dency 10 excuse a white lie" as
harmless. But the prohibition rs
against lying, which quite properly
is held 10 mean any kind Of untruth.
1t Is the law. That particular one
is left very largely 70 the individual
conscience for its enforcement.
though there are statutes providins
severe punishment for lying under
such circumstances.
Thou shalt not steal In the
thousands OF years since II was
ordered for the guidance and pro
lection OF humans never has o.
person suggested that the statute \
reinforcing the moral law be altered
10 permit mild thieving, pocket pick
ing or secret pilfering. say. while
keeping the inhibition against
burglary or highway ROBBERY. NO
body would have the temerity 10
propose the legalization OF 2.75 per
cent OF stealing. And for the simple
reason that the laws that make
stealing a crime, but the moral and
the human, are universally recog-
nized as prohibition laws, and they
condemn even the smallest degree
OF dishonest acquisition OF things
To that extent we have universal
respect for these laws. We cannot
expect anything more in the present
state OF development OF the human
conscience.
Lawbreakers there wiz be always.
The great majority Of the people
will respect the laws and the
authority charged with their en-
forcement. That much will be in
sisted upon. Man-made laws We
may repeal II such a course appeals
70 the judgment OF the people who.
ultimately. are the lawmakers. There
can be no compromising with law.
Any form OF compromise with law
is notification. We think there IS
nothing more firmly established
than that in the minds OF the vast
majority OF Americans today. The
signs pointing that way ars ubiqui-
tOua