The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-16
Drink Has Nothing To Do
With Criminality Growth,
EX-ScOtland Yard Man SAYS
Sir Basil Thomson Criticises Softness of American. Toward
4, the Hardened Criminal and Suggests that Courtesy with
Which the Felon Is Treated Here Is Possibly One Factor
that Encourage More Violations of the Law.

Copyright. 1892. Inter. News. service.)
LONDON.-"Drink has nothing to
do with the growth OF professional
crime" This Is the Interesting state
ment made by Sir Basil Thomson,
former Scotland Yard director and
one OF Britain's leading crimonol-
ogists, in a review of the increase OF
crime in the United States and Great
Britain, written exclusively for the
international News Service.
THE humanitarian atmosphere
with which criminals are surround
ed In the United States Is suggested
as n possible reason for the increase
OF American crime by Sir Basil.
BY SIR BASIL THOMSON, X, G. Il.
Former Scotland Yard Director and
British CriminOlogist.
(Wrltten Exclusively for the international
News Scrvice)
II is interesting 10 those who have
to deal with crime In England to
hear that there Is n wave OF outrage
in America. Probably II the figures
| came to be taken IL would be found
that, as IN England, the wave is
more apparent than real. That Is to
say, that while there has been n
diminutlon Of minor o%ffenses and "A
smaller prison population than be-
fore the war, there is an epidemic
of violence.
1t is very surprising to learn from
the Cincinnati Enquirer that there
were 5000 murders In the United
States last year, for this works out
to the surprising figure OF no less
than nine I'm every 100000 of the
population. In London In normal
times the figure Is SO per 100, 900.
The wave of crime in England is
generally confined to murdcrous
outrage and wave of this kind have
not been unknown in pre-war times,
l doubt very much whether the drink
question has much TO do with this
class OF crime.
Swells Minor Offenses.
Undoubtedly drink swells the total
OF the minor offenses. but II has lit
tie or nothing TO do with the growth
of professional crime. one OF the
wlsest provisions ever passed by leg
islature in this connection was the
pistols act, for, though people are
constantly found in possession OF
firearms without a permit, the mum
Der r. comparatively small.
without flying TO heroic remedies
there are certain very obvious pal
AAAhAHNf AAaN AAlA w ANNNN ~ 49,
community when II has to face q
sudden growth OF a~nti-social acts
The first Is, OF course, an overhaul'
ing OF the police, for II every Grim
inal realized that detection was Ger,
tain and the punishment swift ant
sure he would no more resort e
crime than n child Will thrust III
hand into the fire,
! do not know enough OF the con.
ditions OF the United States to say
whether II would be possible to N
force a pistol act. l do know wha
has been done in London by a very
careful selection OF detective off
GERS, By giving special attention e
their training and by supplementinl
them with promising police officer
from the uniform branch, who ar
put into plain clothes for the omer
gency,
"PolICe Have Advantage"
Much can also he done by motto
and motorcycle patrols, especial,
at night. In London and practical
~ in all parts OF the United King
dom the police have the advantage
OF the sympathy and assistance o
practically the whole OF the popula
ton, and IL public opinion d proper
ly reused in the United States doubt
less tho same condition viii apply
But increased efficiency In the po