The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-12-28


the world, ours is also the most
lawless people. There are more
laws in the statute books than in
any other country and there is less
| law enforcement here than any
! where else in the world.
We find great encouragement,
however, in the action of the Ameri-
can Bar Association at its annual
meeting in San Francisco last year
and at it's annual meeting in Min
neapolis, August last. Our bulletin
of January, 1928, quoted from its
annual report of last year and we
now quote from this years report,
calling especial attention to the in
creased interest and evidently de-
termined efforts of this, the greatest
association of it's kind in the world,
in the solution of this problem. Let
us hope that in due time through
the influence of this great associa-
ton, this country will be changed to
the most law-abiding country in the
world. We give the following ex-
erpts from the American Bar
Association report:
'Your Committee on Law En-
forcement respectfully asks that this
report be considered in connection
with and as a part of the report
which was presented to the Assocla-
ton at San Francisco last year.
Three main problems were present
ed, as we interpreted your direc-
tions, upon which we were asked to
report:
l. The condition of law enforce
| nnent in this country
2. The reason for such failure
of law enforcement as might exist.
3. Such remedies as might seem
available"
eve believe that our results are
reasonably accurate. 1t thus APP
pears that while the general popula-
ton has increased 14.9 per cent,
the criminal population has in
creased 1876 per cent"
Replies from court officials and
police officials develop two i'm
portant facts: Since 1921 there
has ensued slightly greater ratio
of convictions in the courts; more
activity upon the part of the police
officers as shown in the number of
arrests; and a perceptible awaken
ing of public interest in the subject
of law enforcement; much Of which
result, we respectfully submit, may
be attributed to the influence and
leadership of the American Bar
Association, a leadership which be-
came particularly active in this re-
gard during 1921"
| 1.-TWO great nations with sharply
contrasting doctrines and machinery
for the enforcement of law natur-
ally present themselves for our
study; the one, England, whose
criminal laws and procedure are
very similar to our own; the other
France, with a criminal code strik-
ingly different. The results accom-
plished by means of the law enforc-
ing instrumentalities in either coun-
try, however, compared with similar
accomplishment in our own land
. seem we'll nigh incredible"
There occurred seventeen so-called
murders in London last year.
There were only nine cases in the
City of London last year where g
trial for murder in the first degree
could properly ensue. There was
not an unsolved murder in London
last year. During 1921 there were
: 200 murders in New York and 137
in Chicago"
"In 1919, the year statistics were
last published in France, the figure:
show that there occurred in all thai
country 585 murders. In 48 cite:
of the United States, representing
every section of the country but
emitting many of the cities or town:
from which we have been unable tt
4 -
1862 murders. These cities con
, tain about 21,000,O00, or little
over one-fifth of our population, anC
fairly typify the rest of the coun
: try"
GIN comparison with the Other
great civilized nations the English
! Government affords to it's citizen!
through the enforcement of it's law:
a maximum of protection agains
evil doors, while the United State!
} under the same comparison affords
it's citizens a minimum protection
against evil doers."
"In England, trial follows arres
so quickly that in the perspective
of the public the two are almos
simultaneous; while in the United
States, trials are frequently so Ions
delayed that witnesses disappear
false defences are framed, testi
mony is lost and the public forge
the connections between the tria
and the circumstances of the crime
! We have recent instances of mer
l being executed two and even thre,
years after the commission of theil
, crime"
"In English Courts, - *Justice il
not only swift in decision, but alst
in the vast majority of ms ance!
that decision remains final. Otter
with us, for purely technical rea
sons, when the defendant has the
means, a first verdict judgment
:. forms merely the preliminary Skin
: mish. Our Own Court of Appeal
! too frequently, do not make Their
chief concern the question as tt
, whether or not Justice was done, bu
! whether the courts proceeded &C
: cording to the rules"
1 "Rising above and behind these
phenomena is the quiet, strong God
S fearing character of the law-observ
ing English people. England is {
land where old things are venerated
4 where religion is observed. We art
of many and discordant races, where
differing traditions meet to confict
e with our laws. Too often our law.
command no veneration because
they are half regarded as the rule
of a stranger. Lastly, our land il
constantly cursed with plague Of
new laws"
"Our substantive criminal law:
are and always have been funda
mentally sound. Our procedure
criminal laws are outworn and cum
bersome. ***In dealing with the
: criminal law the conservation Of
the Bar is we'll known. To propose
Il L IL