The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-11
A Timely Editorial
The Only Real Remedy
est. Louis Post-Dispatch)


 Must we admit that the law and the courts have broken down and that extralegal means must be adopted to rid the city of criminal gangs? Must we depend wholly upon the police to deal with criminals and thus inaugurate war between police and criminal gangsters and bandits with lawlessness end .-io- lence in full swing? Must we even- tually resort to vigilant committees and a general declaration of war, with the police and vigilant commit tees on one side and the criminal gangs on the other? If the law and it's processes have not broken down the authorities can rid the city or major criminals of all kinds by en- forcing law. Courts and juries can support the police and rid the city of professional criminals and thus avoid a police-gang war and re- sort to vigilance committees. It is preposterous that we have profes- sional criminals, thieving gangs and murderous gangsters when there is a special provision in the law to pro- tect the public from the murderous activities and depredations of these gentry.
 The habitual criminal act was framed and enacted for this pur- pose. It prodives that when a crim- inal is convicted of a major crime and when it is proven that he has previously coramitted one or mroe crimes of the same nature, such as murder, burglary, robbery or crim;- nal assault, the maximum sentence under the law must be imposed. In short, he must be sent to the peni- tentiary for life. This is just and humane law. It is inst and proper that men who make crime a profes- sion and live by proving upon their fellow men, who habitually attack or endanger life to rob others, should be put under permanent re- straint. There is no place in orderly society for professional criminals and murdero us gangsters. They are continual menaces to life and property and when permitted to ply their vacations cause general law lessness, contempt of law and dis regard for all rights Of citizens. The enforcement of this law would solve all of our criminal problems. It would rid the community of pro- fessional criminals and criminal classes. It would restrain first of lenders from repetition of crimes. It would make repetition of crimes so dangerous that few would at- tempt it.
 Little is gained by driving crimi- nals out of the city and from city to city. They are still free to prey upon law-abiding citizens. Every thing is gained by the restraint of habitual criminals in prison and the enforcement of law. We believe that the habitual criminal act can be enforced if concentrated, viz orous effort is made by prosecuting officers and judges to enforce it.. Good juries of citizens who will do their duty under the law; prosecut- ing officers who will find and pre- sent the evidence of previous crimes; judges who will refuse to be lenient under pleas of guilty and who will instruct juries clearly as to the law and their duty will go far towards a rigid enforcement of the law.
 When the law is enforced profes- sional criminals and murderous gangsters will disappear and order, safety and peace will return.
 IS ENGLAND COOLING DOWN?
 London Daily Maip
 Our advice to those who are ap- prehensive about the French entry into the Ruhr is to try to recover some sense of perspective. The skies have not fallen and the earth is not convulsed because Essen has been occupied. France does not mean to march to Berlin. Her pur- pose is already accomplished, and the eventual results may be awaited with confidence. Germany must either make arrangements to dis charge her just liabilities or say good-by to the Ruhr for long time to come.