Evening star., 1924-06-12

Throughout the country the gem
eraI reaction to the sequel OF the
Franks KIDNAPPING and murder ap-
parently is one Of bewilderment that
two youths brilliant mentally, sur
rounded from birth with the best that
wealth affords. should 50 deliberately
carry out such a brutal crime. Re-
gardless of whether these youths be
maniacs or criminals, editors agree
that speedy justice should be meted
out to them.
Not only Nathan Leopold and
Richard Loeb, confessed slayers OF
Robert Franks, will be on trial in
the Chicago courts, but our American
system of justice will be on trial." in
the opinion OF the Cincinnati Times
Star, which feels that unless the ex-
periences OF the past have enlighten-
ed Chicago courts. we shall have Leo
pold and Loeb retiring to the cloister-
ed life OF some luxurious sanatorium
there TO await the abatement Of pub
lie opinion when they may emerge al
the instance OF the same lawyers and
physicians" The indianapolis News
insists 1.-The millions that these col
lege graduates will inherit are not
on trial." and the state Of Illinois
has an opportunity here to show what
simple justice means'; Furthermore
the presentation OF the evidence to
a competent jury and the return of a
verdict should not take long. and il
need not be attended by any of the
part Of the case" The Newark News
suggests the entire absence of the
usual moral inhibitions against crime
which oonceivably could grow out OF
the entire rejection OF responsi bility
to any power beyond man, alone
calculating callousness OF this MUIR
der" but '1aw cannot palliate guilt
on such a basis without throwing
down the safeguards of civilization"
therefore, either az intolerably dan
gerous maniacs or as perverted Grim
inals. these two should be put out OF
the way permanently-it is up to the
law"
X ~
The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times agrees
Unnecessary delay will be contrary
to the interests of public justice"
While It is hard "to order capital
penalties against those who may be
proven mentally irresponsible" the
Grand Rapids Herald argues. "it is a
travesty on preventive penology to
contemplate the possibility that such
Intellectual depravity as this case
heartlessly involves can find q legal
immunity to the laws maximum ret
our tnaories put to severe @ Test If # the
Chicago defense proceeds as indf-
Gated" In no case, the Sioux City
Journal declares. should the two
Chicago murderers be allowed to es-
crime" for "this is one time when
Justice should be blind indeed to the
position the slayers. occupied and to
the resources at their command"
aHw to sede sse n.os sss sSisssEss srse Prsss
contends. .is still an unsolved puzzle.
but there is no doubt. about what
must be done when such products of
it as Leopold and Loeb appear-they
eliminated as factors In society"
What is essential, according to the
Baltimore Sun, lis that no maWkish
sentipentalisni, no psychological ex-
cuses should be permitted to protect
spa these f9ilsa. aTlm.ha% punisSmenn" iS If they
manage to get to a comfortable in
sane asylum "instead OF receiving
their just deserts" the LynGheprg
Advance is convinced. ~ WI nns s.s
many hold that there Is q grievous
fault somcwhere in our legal system
which too often permits the guilty to
escape" The Lincoln State Journal
asks, What is there in the modern
life Of such young men that turns in
30 tragic = direction in search of ad-
yenturer' The Manchester Union an
swers Somewhere something was
wrong in the training Of these
youtha,". becanse, AS post-graduate
be looked upon g. lacking brains OF