Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-09

tVWh INN enJOyeO 10 tne luii, 4 AS.
ceived the following letter:
pes,I! Miss Lowris:
nGs sSu r'ss o,ons II Ssfn:s in:sn z,
crime, what safety IL there for any woman
employed IN an oiiice7
isys there was any Foundation for
rs s:srs.ss s US ,sy ers IL. es sss.. s Of sss ss.s
" ;''eS;s 'eesS: an her. me
A girl who needs work cannot pick her
employer She has to take what she can
HANDED it to very well known
L a!ienist to read, who had seen the person
in question both In court and In Jail. and l
asked him what was ''cmotional insanity
that 1t should lead a person to commit mur.
der and yet be Of SO temporary nature
as to make her safe to be at large. lie said
there wns no such disease as emotional in
sanity of temporary nature
II you are insane enough to be irrespon.
sible. you arc too III to bc snfely. at large.
Your recovery may he a matter Of time: or
your illness may be a chronic condition.
Hut ~ either casc treatment under strict
surveillance for a period to be determined by
should safeguard the public as we'll as the
patient.
Our law is evidently defective. in that It
trees person on the ground OF insanity
without specifying any curtailmsnt Of lib
erty on the ground Of that insanity.
T ATER was interested to listen to the
~ verdict Of more than one Of the noted
physicians who specialize on mental diseases
who had followed this particular case. Since
they did not make that verdict matter for
public discussion. neither shall l, but II was
their very emphatic opinion that the manner
and the matter used to exculpate the .pris.
oner and arouse public feeling were likely
to unbalance unstable minds and give an
impulse toward distraught violence in men
and women who had imaginary or real griev.
nnces and waited for but this show Of hands
in their favor to break through the barrier
OF self control and play the part Of wronged
heroes and lferoines before an applaudins
and sympathetic public.
bad az the double killing was, whether II
was done BY an insane person or an in.
toxicated person or revengeful person. the
manner of placing the facts before the jury
and the public to affect the jury was an
added menace to nil society.
As FOR the public. who for the sensation
"A it got by fcasting its eyes and ears at
that trial immensely helped in the desired
effect on the jury--one wonders what the
aftermath of licensed brainstorms will Be %
q result Of the gorge!
For II those doctors knew their business,
that is just the sort Of feasting that under.
mines the will and dsintegrates the control.
ling mind. 1t is debauch Of the feelings.
\ 1rcat many persons said to me:
IF it had only been kept out Of the
papers no one would have gone or listened"
That il not true. because the public that
was brought TO that trial was wanted there
az part Of the defense. and the advertise.
mont of the trial was necessary for the de.
fense. The newspapers did. on the. whole.
the only thing possible. They gave the pub
lie both sides. since it was plain that one
side at least was to have all the publicity
that could be utilized.
THE letter which quoted above from the
L stenographer has a very genuine ring
nlout 1t. not OF fear but Of common sense.
However. others besides the jury were more
sentimental than just at that trial. for most
Of us are sentimental and few Of us are
Just, SO that is whore lawyer for defense
can get in his surest effects.
He avoids the conscience and works on
feelings. and. ii his audience weeps. lie feels
sure that his jury does not listen unmoved.
1t is the skill Of nm actor that he needs.
not the plain statements Of a historian. He
knows his public. and cynically arranges his
plea to srntimentai.y on the pretense that
It is plea for justice.
AS n result Oh tne VerulCt, however, !
doubt ii the danger to stcnographers Is any
greater than to other men or women who. in
the pursuit. Of duty, have to cross the paths
of Jealous persons sane or insane. This
particular trial Is only symptom in the
widespread disease Of scntimentality---false
sentiment, which IL undermining Justice
everywhere.
The real menaces to society are the things
that fan thnt false sentiment Last sum.
mer two novels were sent to me for my Opin-
ion. thought. us ! read them, that they
would be inflammable stuff for minds al.
ready diseased. and not pertinent stuff for
wholesome minds. I was interested to see
that they were quoted lately as evidence in
another recent murder case OF the moral
downfall Of one or both Of the victims.
THE truth Of the matter is we do not
L need books or plays or the testimony of
courts to inform ns about the wrong way Of
doing thing; we need ali the incentive and
example and comfort we can get about the
riah. way Of meeting our difficulties. We 10
rnt ~red to cultivate our scntiInentaity, but
we do need to exercise our self. control until
il can be depended on to work when we put
il to steering our emotions.
As for the stenosraphers. let me say this
ore thing to them. since they have asked
me to speak for them.
You women have great trust You are
doing a big piece Of work in the world.
Next to mothers and wives you have the
most confidential and delicate position in the
lives of men. The failure Of any one of you
to live up 10 that trust hurts the whole re.
lationship and undermines the security Of so.
cety. No one Of you can live just to her
self, or fail just tn herself. You cannot
always choose the right employer, but you
can deal rightly BY that employer even
against his will.
1t is because the majority Of you arc so
clear headed and good hearted in the best
sc,so that your profession is honored By men
and trusted by, your fellow women. Those