Evening star., 1923-08-12
Finds Our Boosted Tolerance
OF Today Is Largely a Sham

spirit of tolerance and marry all those
influences which are for the betterment
of the human race, letting the good
things that are being done go on, taking
part in them and giving God the glory
rather than boards of state charities.
Today's spirit of intolerance manifests
itself in other walks of life besides those
wherein men go by faith and not by
sight. Intolerance Of the law OF the
land is now sharply accentuated. Laws,
of course, are repealable and subject to
change, but 1t will be sorry day when
law notifications are left to the Judg-
ment OF the criminal rather than to the
common sense of the law-abiding citi-
zen.
have in mind the espionage cases
and the demand on President Harding
for general amnesty. ] am not called
upon to defend the wisdom of the war
legislation under which convictions were
made. 1t is not needful to review the
testimony. A period Of intense excite
ment may have existed. Witnesses may
have stretched the truth in testifying
the courts may have been prejudfced,
jurors may have been biased. Even so,
all this has little to do with the cases
at hand. No one would ever be pun
ished for anything if the law had to
guarantee that in no instance should
any injustice be done in a prosecution.
plicable to the courts than TO any other
human agency. Rightfully or wrong
fully. legally or Illegally. with or with
out Justification, persons were convicted
and began serving their sentences. Since
then the trials and the Judgments have
been under assault. Demands for par
dons by the President have been based
on many reasons-becauSe the law was
not wise, because the testimony was not
satisfactory, because others who went
lnnp6 ca i
things, because the war is over, because
other nations have freed their war pris-
oners and because and because and be-
cause.
The President of the United States
concluded. after personal study of the
cases and formal investigation by the
Department of Justice. to pardon some
of the prisoners and to withhold
clemency from others. What was the
result? Did his mercy and love for
justice inspire gratitude and praise ?
What appreciation of his act has been
expressed? 1t seems to me that abuse
OF the President became more violent
than it was before he granted any
executive clemency. Credit for sin
cerity was denied him; appreciation
or the time and patience consumed
by examination of the cases was not
voiced; no word of thanks was utter
ed anywhere, so far as / know. Cen
eral amnesty was sought and nothing
less would suffice.
| cite this as an Illustration OF
the spirit of intolerance with refer
ence to the law and it's penalties
What do we care about the law if il
is not the kind of law that we our
selves believe ought to he? Down
with every law that does not measure
up TO the terms of our intolerant
spirit. and above all let us stand for
a new system of lawmaking. Let the
laws on Larceny be dictated by all the
thieves in the penitentiaries the laws
on murder by homicides: let the Vol
stead act be revised by boOtleggers
Indeed. who are more competent in
this tolerant age to say what the law
should he than the men who have
been convicted for violations of it?
If the criminal laws may only be
made by those who violate them We
shall most asSuredly demonstrate how
a tolerant age may become intolerant
of all authority.
Copyright. 1923. by 2lst Century Pressl