Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-09
LOOK TO THE ROOTS

- LOOK TO THE ROOTS
Judge John C. Knox, speaking be-
fore the Bar Association of New
York, recently, declared the claw ir
seeking to be properly sensitive to
the rights of culprit has developed
a callousness for those of the pub
lic."
How true this is! Haven't we a
right to assume there are more law
observers than law-breakers, and
should not consideration chiefly be
given to the greatest good for the
greatest number? OF course we must
not lose sight of the good of all, but
stopping the leak in the dixie of re-
straint Of crime is surely included in
that. Furthermore, If our theory re-
specting right and wrong and the
rewards and penalties therefor be ap-
proximately correct, what more hu-
name thing may we do than deter the
wavering from entering upon life
of crime? We now offer inducements.
Moreover, II the criminal have q
diseased mentality he must be ap-
pretended in order to receive treat
ment; If criminals should undergo
diagnosis to ascertain what ails them
they must be put where, the diagnos-
tician may get at them; they will
not seek him. Now, this is not being
done. Competent authorities esti-
mate that less than two fifths of our
criminal population have been placed
under restraint, yet our prisons over
flow, our courts are congested, our
parole officers can't get the prisoners
out fast enough to make room for
newcomers, and we whine at the cost
of the alarmingly inadequate facili-
ties for protection we have.
Under such conditions it is rather
depressing to find the public absorb
ed in the gossip about the Maine
prison, and assuming that if there
may be change in officials they will
be able to go to sleep in SNUG salts
faction from the thought that the
criminal problem has been solved, so
far as Maine is concerned. There is
nothing in the conditions at the
Maine prison warranting any such
conclusion, nothing, were those con-
ditions immaculate. that would war
rant any such confidence. We would
not minimize the need of public in
terest in the affairs of the prison, but
we would warn that these are far
from being of prime importance; that
never may we hope to reform by be-
ginning at that end Of the situation.
The roots Of crime run deep into
the sub-stratum of society, are nour-
ished by the public's failure to take
crime out of politics, or politics out
Of crime; by Indifference to facilities
provided and the character Of those
having to use those facilities. Do we
realize that more than thousand
years ago brigandage on the trade
routes Of Asia Minor was better con-
trolled than 1t now is in our large
cities: that California in the days of
the Vigilantes was freer from crime
in percentage Of it's population than
II is today?
:. But we would not be brutal, though
there is no excuse for not being eff
fecttve II our civilization be anything
like what 1t is held up to be. We
should inform ourselves. Not to do
so Is Sinking an obligation. Richard
Washburn Child in his series Of arti-
cles on The Great American Scandal,
in the Saturday Evening
Post, has instructively summarized
which every intelligent
person in this country should pos
sess, whatever such person may
think Of Child's conclusions.
Humanity as well as charity should
begin at home If it is to have per-
manent foundation. Such humanity
does not consist in encouraging
criminality as we now do, indirectly
but very effectually. We tolerate
conditions under which criminals
have organized professions and
schools in crime and take pride in
professional skill, as expert pick
pockets, expert bank-robbers and ex-
pert bumpers-o with the gat. So
are they, SO intimate are
the relations between authorities and
crooks, that the former often recog-
nize the hcndiwork of the latter.
OF course there are those in prison,
who may not have criminal minds,
who committed murder in a drunken
frenzy or fit Of passion; there are
those who came there by way of
some misfortune. But such are in
the minority. We believe the ma
jority are those with criminal in
stincts and q disposition to live lux
uriously, to crafty their lusts with
out work and at the expense Of those
who toll. The gunner. those who
undertake to do that which places
the life OF a fellow human in
jeopardy are Of the calibre of those
who would have crucifled Christ for
biz raiment. pitifully meager though
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