South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-20
Ne70 York and Chicago Each Haze More
Crime In Year Than Both EnglandAnd
Wales according TO Ex-P1esident Taft

five perpetrators committed suicide,
IL were arrested, and out Of these
there were eight convictions. In the
whole of England and Wales. for
1915. there were IS murders COM
mitted, and SO persons arrested in
&C injection Herewith were commit
ted for trial. Fifty-three trials re-
suited in the year. and of these II
were found insane and were con-
fined. 10 were found guilty. but were
adjudged insane and confined, 10
were acquitted and Is were SEN
fenced to death.
Reason For Contrast.
Mr.. Fosdick proceeds in a judicial
spirit 10 consider the reasons for
this contrast. The first reason for
il he finds in the large alien popula-
ton in all our great cities. In Eu-
rOpean cities the percentage OF alien
residents is very small indeed. In
the American cities il reaches so
and 40 per cent. and includes a
large number OF residents who do
not speak the English language, who
do not know our laws, who preserve
their native customs in grouped set
Elements and offer immense Difficult
ties 10 the police authorities in deal
ing with their Ignorance and lack
Of sense of responsibility and respect
for authority
In addition 10 the presence of
aliens. there are congested centers
OF the colored race in our large
cities. and the racial prejudices that
are often excited produce additional
breaches OF the law and add 10 the
record OF crime. Mr. FOsdick points
out. however. that if the offenses. OF
our foreign and cOlOred races were
stricken from calculation our crime
would still exceed the record of
western Europe.
He says that in spite OF all its
kindness and good nature, the
temper Of our communities contains
a strong strain OF violence. I'VE
condone violence and shirk it's pun
ishment We lack q high instinct
for order. We lack a sense Of the
dignity Of obedience to restraint
which is demanded for the common
good. We lack a certain respect for
our own security and the terms upon
which civilized communities keep
the peace" He quotes from The
Chicago Tribune the following:
There is probably more undisci-
plined egotistic. mischievous force in
the United States than in any country
OF first rank in the world"
A second cause for failure 10 en-
force the law against crimes he finds
in the interjection OF politics into
the police forces OF the cities.
Cause For Record.
a third cause. he points out, is
the apparently irrepressible desire
OF misguided enthusiasts 70 attempt
20 elevate the morals OF the com
munity by regulations directed
against acts which most OF the COM
muuity are inclined 20. and which
are lawful except for such reEula-
tons The impOssibility OF enforc-
ing these with spasmodic efforts 70
do so demoralizes enforcement OF all
law and inevitably puts a choice OF
laws to be enforced in the police
authorities. This Is a fruitful source
OF favoritism. corruption and is a
motive for political control.
Another great cause for this hu-
miialing record OF unpublished crime
he finds in the machinery for prose-
cutting crime in the courts after the
police have made the arrests. He
says that the police are often unjust