Evening journal., 1921-02-09
BY BURTON ROSCOE

CHICAGO, Feb. 9.-'The so-called
crime wave is only a slight acoentu-
alton OF a normal condition. due en-
tiroly TO the inadequate means we
have of detecting and isolaung de-
fectVes at large"
This is the conviction OF Dr. VIII
lam J. Hicl1son. director OF the Psy-
chopathic Laboratory attached 10
the Municipal Court OF Chicago.
Economic conditions. unemploy-
ment. and the high cost of living
have little to do with the so-cailed
-crime wave,'" he says. They have
a tendency to multiply the crimes Of
detectives, but they cannot be said
20 be the cause.
"A criminal is a criminal whether
his belly is full or empty.
"A criminal is a criminal whether
he has a job OF not
'-The unemployment situation ag-
Eravates the number OF crimes by
showing what we call 'bordcrland
detectives over into the list of active
criminals
~The borderiand defective is the
AANN ~ nl AIN WMN Va a NNha AAN|
nurses his grievance for a time and
then when his stomach gets hungry
he breaks out as a criminal A man
who is not defective who loses his
job gets another one in time. He
does not become an actual criminal.
because he was never a potential
criminal.
"The borderiand defective. so long
as he is kept employed, may not
cause trouble. that is. trouble which
gets into the courts. But he makes
life a hell for his wife and children.
He betrays and preyH on his friends
He is anu-social He Is a potential
criminal. ready TO break out as an
active one under slight provocation-
Every crime. from petty larceny
to murder, is committed by some
one deficient in intelligence or moral
sensibility. Their records show de-
fectiveness at 4. 10, 10 years OF age,
The majority OF hold-ups, bur-
Elaries, petty thefts. highway rob
berries, automobile banditries and as
fasiinations are committed by boys
between the ages Of II and 81.
The present increase Of crime
over the normal is due TO:
~ONE. The carelessness OF tho
immigration authorities in letting
into this country a horde OF defec-
tives. who later become a burden
and a menace 20 the community.
Two Unemployment. forcing
borderlard detectives into actua-
c.riminaifty
s-The carelessness OF tho immigra-
DON authorities at our ports Is a Sc
rdous menace 20 the welfare OF oui
nation. They send back persons af.
aicted with physical diseases. Blu
their mental and moral tests are Sc
ziousiy incompetent
Detectives. morons, paretcs-th'
scum of Europe-are allowed TO en-
ter our country and TO propagat'
flneir degenerate. moronic and Grim
NAL offspring
we have six times as many in
sane persons 20 the thousand as hai
Germany. This IS because German!
has had a much more efficient sys
ten for apprehending and isolauni
Ms detectives
tOE NtaAa NANA AAAt--a
defectives, who could pass our i'm
migration authorities, 70 the United
States.
srFor years. England has sent q
No United states and 10 western
canada its black sheep its socia
misnts.
s-rhese English misfits, like tn
German misfts and mishts fron
ether countries. swell the number o
our detectives and increase the prob
abilities of crime. And they mul
ttply-
s'Crininsls are born. not made
ssociety's only hope in the matte
M crime prevention is in discoverin
me potential criminals and isolst
ing them from the social community
-Police shake-ups and public agi
fution get nowhere.
-Our modern jails. penitentaie
Wnd reformatories are barbarou
relics. They lessen, perhaps. in som
degree, the crimes of today, bu