Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-09
ON ABNORMAL THOUGHT

Leopold and Loeb nad tnougntss
their rank in school proved that, but
ths quality. the kind Of thought with
which they employed their minds.
with which they schemed their
fiendish purposes. which led them to
regard human life and suffering with
the complacency Of an angler watch
ing tho fish he had securely hooked,
must have been such as TO cause a
person with a normal mind to shud-
dor.
We do not believe such thoughts
are widely entertained in the minds OF
human beings, though the amount Of
abnormal thought influencing human
affairs Is doubtless considerable. DR..
Barker. professor Of clinical medi-
cine at Johns Hopkins, declares:
IF the public could be accurately
\ informed Of the prevalence of abnor-
NAL thought. feeling ana behavior in
the United States. such indifference
as now exists regarding prevention
would become inconceivable. II the
public fully realized how much In
sanity, mental deficiency, criminality
actually exists. and how easily much
OF these could be prevented by the
adoption Of wise measures that are
practicable. even in the present state
OF knowledge. one cannot but feel
that apathy would be displaced by
activity and that a vigorous prophy-
latte campaign through education and
legislation would be peremptorily de-
manded."
H.. IL L.. -
to abnormality and the necessity for
supervision of the mental health Of
students in schools and colleges. DR..
Barker cited the case OF the Chicago
youths as an example.
ut Is a matter for the gravest
consideration" he said. through ILL
regulated immigration on the one
hand and through the relatively in
sufficient fertility Of the mentally
superior stocks on the other. that the
general level of intelligence and char
acter in the United States Is bound to
fan unless we take the necessary
steps to prevent It,"
These features Of immigration ir-
tegularities are not the worst IL the
statement Of the medical examiner of
the New York Hospital Commission
b correct. He charges Congress
with criminal negligence" and many
federal officials with "open indiffer-
ence" respecting the steady stream"
OF insane and feeble minded immi-
grants which for one reason and an
other, one being the steamship COM
panies. is permitted to flow into this
country. There have been people
Denounced as traitors. who never in
jured their country as much as these
agents are said to be doing.
But 1t does not appear that these
conditions pertain materially to the
development Of that Chicago afro
city. Instances Of degeneracy oc-
casionally occur in the most select
stocks. The data of the Leopold and
Loeb families reveal no such condi-
tions a. those described in the I'M
welcome classes Of immigrants. II
does appear that these youths had
practically no religious training or
restraint. What does appear in a
striking manner in their own words Is
their confidence that the wealth of
their families would protect them in
whatever they might do. They are
quoted as saying jurors could be
bought OFF in their coming trial.
This dependence on wealth to
shield one from penalty Is scarcely an
abnormal thought. The instances
where It does SO protect crime are
too numerous to make thought along
that line abnormal. Conditions ought
to be such this thought would be
abnormal, as 1t would be II the in
stances Of protection from wealth
were so rare a. to receive little con-
Right here Il seems fitting to say
that X these degenerate murderers of
Chicago get free by means Of the
wealth Of their parents more Of harm
will be done to law and order In this
country than all the multitude Of
law and order associations. all the
utlifters In all the broad land can re-
palr In . years time. Much will de-
pend on this trial in the State Of IL ,
Dinofs and city Of Chicago.
Evidently this view Of the situation |
d quite generally held. The state |
mont Of the parents that wealth will |
not be employed improperly. that
Ill sought will be a fair trial such
a. human beings should have, il I'M
noubtedly made to reassure the
public and to Ncounteract prejudice
which might influence the jury. It
Is to- be hoped this method will be
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