Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-03

Tho Man In the Street
| Again how may the man In the
street be brought to realize that
terminals are breeding rapidly. that
many of them are NJ. normally en-
dowed mentally, that he is making a
sorry exhibition of himself in per-
hitting nine out Of ten of the crimi-
nails to evade penalty: that he must
rot in consequence of his own neg
lect. become panic stricken and
take it out" on the one he does
catch: that he must not permit
maudlin sentiment to replace good
1t Is part of his job. If he would pro-
tect himself and family. to protect
the weak from being duped and
everlastingly to insist that no ration
al method for helping the weak to
become strong shall be neglected:
that he and his. those he loves and
cherisheS, are exposed to the effects
of the causes which he tolerates?
When the man in the street comes
! face to face. wakes up to realization
of the stupendous thing which con-
fronts HING will he throw up his
! hands in despair? Charles Hichhorn
didn't; other leaders of reform in
! penology haven't. but there is need
of new recruits of those who are
both wise and persistent. who do not
depend on waves of emotion to wash
! them ashore in the land of perfection,
but Who do insist it is more essen
tial that we train ourselves in the
| right way than it is to train our race
J horses.
o. but it is tremendous problem!
1t will not be finally solved in our
day. 1t will test the most loving soul
of the most confiding friend to the
breaking point and so on and on.
But there are brave souls who do not
permit this to stop them They will
raise up dangerous enemies as we'll
a staunch friends. They may never
lie down and call it day.
The records show there have been
wardens. who under discoura ging
difficulties have persisted and made
the best of conditions and. of course,
there have been those who did not do
this. or il they did their best was
not up to standard. Il came here In
1911" said one. "and wish you
could have seen things then" and he
compared them with what they have
now. How may society prevent
such conditions? Not by Indifferent
ence. surely.
Perhaps 1t is not far wrong to say
that the leaven in the lump at Thorn
aston is belief that kind hearts
really are interested in the welfare Of
the prisoners. really sympathize with
| them. really will help them. They al
ready feel sure Of this from some who
are over them, but upon whom will
the nantes of those fail? A "lifer" is
likely to give that query serious
consideration. They rightfully find
assurance In the present manage
ment but great results are not ac-
complished by occasional or sporadic
effort: they cannot for long be ac-
complished by one individual or set
of individuals. A well demonstrated
theory of practice must become gon-
orally accepted as principle. The
man in the street must be convinced
OF the value. must be inspired to
exert his efforts to help and to sus-
tain.
And that same man In the street,
thousands Of him. his folks at home,
they must be reached, interested and
Informed. for right there the greatest
relief OF the, criminal situation may
be found. How shall It be brought
about that he may become aware
that there are lawyers. few but exis
tent who will advise some foolish
youth, in difficulties. who might be
extricated II the lawyer would serve
him as he should, to plead nolo and
get light sentence? And then that
lawyer turns to The family. ascer-
tains how much they can pay, and
exacts that to secure pardon for the
youth who never should have been
sept to prison and would not have
been had the lawyer been decent or
worthy of the profession he dis
graces. And when the man in the
street realizes this situation how
may be he induced to pursue that
crooked lawyer TO a disbarment?
For. after all is said and done. this
being everybody's job and a big one
how may everybody "get wise TO it?" j.