Evening star., 1924-09-11

strikes thousands of people familiar
with the crime and the trial as q mis-
carriage of justice.
"One aspect of the case cannot
have escaped general at kntion. Now
that the decision has hoen rendered
it is proper to call attention to it.
We refer to the policy Of certain
newspapers. particularly in Chicago,
to try these murders in their own
columns rather than let the case take
it's proper course in the court.
Criminals like Loeb and Leopold
are a social responsibility as they are
a social liability. 1t becomes a COM
mon duty to insist that these par
ticular life sentences shall mean
something more than a defendants s
victory. every time justice slips and our
own rights are assailed."
Narrow LeEalism
Heed Decision Basis.
ST. PAUL DISPATCH-"If it is the
intention of the law never to impose
capital punishment on youthful MUIR
derers, then it clearly is the inten-
tion of the law that Loeb and Leo
pold should not hang. it must be ad-
mitted that the fact that no minor
who entered plea of guilty has
ever been hanged in Illinois is q
strong point in support of the life
sentence.
1T is narrow legalism to excuse
Loeb and Leopold on the score ,of
their youth and their pleas of guilty
In a formal sense they certainly do
comply with the definition. They
are, in years, youths, and they did
enter plea of guilty. Yet, in any
real sense they are not youths, their
crime was not an outburst of youth
full irresponsibility, and if they had
not committed this crime no one
would have judged them intellectual
ly imma ture"
Sees Society Rights
Ignored in Decision.
KANSAS CITY STAR-"In dealing
with criminals the protection Of So
clety is the first consideration. Re-
sponsloie murderers are subject to the
ueatn penalty, not, as Judge Caverly
seems to suppose, for 'retribution and
expiation.' but to restrain other per-
sons from committing murder. So
ciety looks to the courts for protec-
ton.
Under the development of tech
nlcallties and Sentimentalism, the
courts are failing in their duty. In
many cases they are making a joke
of the law. They are tender for the
welfare of the criminals. They are
not solfcitouS for the welfare OF So
ciety. The Chicago judge has sent
two wretched murderers to prison,
from which they expect a pardon in a
few years. In doing this he has pro-
tected the criminals; he has failed to
protect society,"
Sees Death Penalty
Passing in CrimtnoIOEy.
NEBRASKA STATE JOURNAL
These boys are proved and confesse
degenerates. What assurance is there
that a release from prison will not
set them anew to the practice of their
perversionS? What assurance is here
that their fellow prisoners will be
protected from them? Our own be-
lief is that the day of capital punish
ment is about over. Like il or not.
as we may. society which a century
ago could see q girl hanged for steal
ing a pocket handkerchief cannot be
depended upon now to furnish juries
willing to kill a man for committing
murder. The progress of science, the
new knowledge of what passes for
insanity is Fastening this outcome.
The task now is to find a substitute
for death. which will meet present
SOuHQ Cflt1clSH OI the sentence LOT
life"
Sees Bulk of Crime
Excused in Decision.
NEWARK NEWS-"The decision
turns on the youth of the defendants
the judge citing that but two minors
have ever been legally executed in
Illinois, and declining to be the in
strument of adding to that number
these youths being IS and 19 years
old. A slight extension of that rea-
soning beyond the mere legal age OF
manhood would excise the bulk OF
our modern crime, especially murder
and robbery. with weapons.
The major fact remains unchanged
that in the judgment of the great
majority of Americans the machinery
of justice in Illinois has once more
operated to an end that comes close
to accounting for the murderridden
criminal record of Chicago and the
recurrent blood letting of feudal Her
rim linked in a common barbarity."
ChicaEo LawleSsnesS
Explanation Is seen.
THE MILWAUKEE, JOURNAL -
sThe sentence Of Loeb and Leopold
strikes another blow at the courts.
Capital punishment is the law in H.
linois. No crime could be committed
that calls for capital punishment If