The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-23
MERE ACADEMIC, or GovERNHENr.

Cn!cgs human nature rs consulted Intimately
we are prone to the most erotosque mistake In
affairs or government And when We move TO
"A conclusion along mere academic lines ignor-
ing this major factor u human relations, we in
evitabiy set ntoot mischief exceedingly difficult
90 overcome.
Thus we pratc OF law enforcement. Of per-
mitting the law 10 take is course ana We
parrot-lke assert a false premise when We af-
firm that every form OF law enforcement by
others than those directly sworn to enforce the
law Is mob law lawlcssnen, set up
premise do we not, which It Is woll-nlgh inn
possible 10 support
no assert that only those things undertaken
by a sworn agent OF society is law enforcement
Is tantamount to nying that all thinsa done by
a sworn agent Of society are losnl. who does
not recognize the fallacy of such argument?
Ergo to assert that anything undertaken by
the private citizen In the way Of more securely
protecting society against the lawlcss ia law
lcssness is to assert an equal fallacy
We do not want to be understood as en-
couraging, condoning iustifying mob law
but we do want to be understood as asserting
what mayhap may be considered a radical doe
trnc, that every associated movement by cit
liens is not necessarily mob law and doea not
necessarily indicate the mob psychology We
further want to assert that such associated
movement may be quite as much lawful, or
dorly undertaking as the paying OF taxes for
the support OF sworn governmental agents and
the voting to elect such men to office. All OF
which is predicated on human nature as 1t IL,
not AZ might want 1t to be.
The whole argument. we think, turns on
whether or not that machinery created for law
enforcement actually operates adequately: or
whether or not the associated citizen movement
is directed at a criminal class and is therefore
founded on tho defcnsibie principles of JUS
tice, or whether 1t moves under the impulses Of
mere prejudice.
one Of the greatest Judges the United States
has known, the late I c, Parker of the west
ern District of oklahoma. In delivering his
charge to jury having consideration OF case
wherein the postmaster of little Indian Terri
tory village had shot and killed bad man who
was engaged In the common pastime OF shoot
ing up the place, said, not In words but in cf-
'ect
When any begins shooting indls-
criminately I'm such way as to probably
endsnger the lives Of others and when
such a man is not Immediately called TO
count by a legal officer OF the law when
there Is officer available that man does
by such act commit an assault with intent
to XIII upon every citizen within range OF
his,Eun, And II killed by any such citizen.
law OF self defense.
The verdict was in accord with this lnter-
probation Of the law and the Interpretation was
later sustained b.! the supreme court Of tho
United states
we say again. whether the actions of an as
ISOLATION OF citizens is mob law or not depends
altogether on the justification and the motive
II the duly accredited officials of state-and
we use the term state in It's general and broad
sense involving officials of all character-are
so remiss in their official action to bring
about a state OF affairs which constitutes gem
eral menace to the society OF that community
what is the citizens alternative to sudden de
parture from the community
Naturally organization to do that which tho
government he has set up falls to do which
brings to consideration OF conditions cN-
tant In Oklahoma today We do not mean to
speak as radical nor to ndtet all officials OF
the state. it's counties and municipalities. when
we say that the administration OF the law by
the duly elected and sworn agents Of govern
mcnt is and has been, in the direct interest OF
the criminal elements that the resultant condi-
tloa constitutes the gravest kind OF a menace 10
society u general
If you, dear reader will turn back for year,
Two years or ovon longer, through the files of
your layoritc newspaper you viii discover that
better than 90 per cent of the crimes committed
have been by a criminal class which has re-
uuiyed The hcncfactions, the fayors. and in
many cases the absoluton OF high officials II
the courts, and the handmaidens OF Justice. have
rot been partlceps crimnis knowingly they
have been such nevertheless unwlttngly by the
manner OF their procedure, whether the man
ner was caused by Inclination ordered by
statute.
In this community IN particular paroled con.
victs have piled their trace with professiona
skill Criminals proven criminals. have bee,
looeed from dnress OK the mere oblter bietnr
- - ,,a,a. afs,cer because they vua,s -, .