South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-03
Famous British SIeuth Scores
United States Criminal system


CLEVELAND. o.. Dec. 2-"Amer-
.ca is still living on the remnants
az the old British system OF juris-
prudence brought over before the
American Revolution. That is one
reason why many individual Ameri-
can states have more executions an
nually than all u England and
Wales combined"
Sir Basil Thomson. X. @. B.. for
mer head OF the criminal invest.ga-
ton bureau OF scotland YARD.
Britain's world famous detective
service. makes this declaration.
Thompson IS a lawyer OF note. too.
so he Is qualified 20 discuss the
tect.ve was attested by his appoint
ment as British director Of intellI-
gence during the war.
"The old British penal code waI
terribly severe" continued Sir
Basil. a man could be hanged
for the theft OF $40 Long prison
terms could be imposed on persons
who were in debt.
"As the injustice OF such penalties
became apparent, judges were wont
to allow defendants 20 raise every
possible legal bubble or techn.caIty
% save themselves. BY the time the
colonies brought over this court sys-
tenn. the procedure was filled with
many OF these legal steps for delay
ing sentence.
Then came the reform Of
British penal system early in the
nineteenth century The penalties
were made more in keeping with the
crimes.
Less LoOphOIes.
with reduction OF the penalties
came also reduction Of the number
Of loopholes which has been allowed
10 creep into the old system. The
result is that a person convicted Of
a crime cannot use appeals, demur-
rUers and other procedure to delay
execution Of sentence until public in
terest in the case is gone and free
dom can be won on some bubble.
After conviction. the penalty is
made TO fit the case. Political pres
sure cannot be brought to bear for
a reduction of sentence. Even the
home secretary cannot act. as the
dead weight Of his bureaus tradi-
ton is against him
England has for years stressed
the sacredness Of the sentence, until
even the high government officials
would hesitate 10 seek any mitiga-
ton. The general feeling is that all
the beneficial effects Of the reformed
criminal code would be lost if this
We're allowed.
AS a result of this system, it
might be noted that in England and
Wales. with 100000 population,
there are only seven executions q
year
America mitisated tI:o severe
penalties Of the old English code.
but kept all OF the old ioopholes
allowing decays America adopted
tho indeterminate sentence. but
England after studying it. decided
that it would be harmful to give TO
laymeu the power Of setting aside
the Judgment of the judge and jury
who heard an oc the details Of the
case"
Gun Crime Factor.
do YOU think promiscuous own
ing Of firearms is a factor in
crime?' SIR Basil was asked.
Decidedly so" was the reply.
The pistols act in England which
Is dras,ically enforced. requires a
license from police before a gun can
be purchased. The license appl.ca-
ton must show some real season
for the issuanCe-uot just the fact
that the applicant IS reputable citi-
zen
There is uo displays OF firearms
ir pawnshop windows. Gunsmiths
show weapOns-but they do not sell
them without q license being pro-
duced They would be heavily faed
&c they did
Remember. too, that the police
do not carry pistols in England.
The baton is their sole weapon. A.
resistance Of arrest brings double
or triple the punishment for the
original crime. there "a but little
trouh,e in arrestlnS prisoners. This
would not be tho case II firearms
were freely owned"
Standard bell metal contains sew