The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-04-30
THE NEW CRIMINAL

With the weapons OF WAL
The killing of prosecutor who had been brave
and honest enough to prosecute these criminals
was accomplished with machine gun.
That weapon fires 1900 shots minute. 1t is OF
light weight and easily carried 1t is more powerful
than the used in the Civil War
Only powerful motive could induce men to en-
bark upon the project of killing public officials with
such a weapon.
The old time crook and burglar carried
volver largely for purposes of intmidang his vic
Tins He used 1t only when driven to a corner. He
did not make killing ruthless murder, part of his
enterprises.
The old-time crook worked alone with one or
two companions. gang, in the old days, meant
three or four criminals who brought together
in common enterprises
But the modern crook, adopting modern methods,
belongs to small army, held together by bonds of
crime engaged in a we'll defined enterprise of break
ing down laws, of killing those who stand In their
way.
They are as thoroughly organized in the bigger
cities as are the police forces or the fire depart
ments They have the greater influence in
politics. for they vote solidly and make their deals
whenever and wherever possible with very respecta
BILE who want power.
They become part Of the political machines in
every city wherever machine politics exists.
The basis of their crime is bootlegging. There
are the big profits, the rich rewards.
They exist because there in all the cities a
demand for the things they sell.
They could not exist unless a very large proper
ton of the people occasionally patronized them.
These thousands who no crime and who look
upon the Volstead act invasion Of their per-
sonal rights make these criminal gangs possible.
These same hundreds of thousands would form
into posses for pursuit of these they pat
ronize If they were engaged In the violation any
other law of the land.
But they, the and the women, who sit in
cabarets and roadhouses and drink who telephone
their bootlegger for case, look upon them with
feeling of repulsion. sentiment of disgust
These men and who patronze these
men are in every other respect of life. decent and
orderly citizens.
They work at useful labor. You find them in
offices and In stores and in factories They have
homes In which they take pride.
1t is foolish and futile to say that the patrons
of the bootlegger are criminal at heart. They may
violate statute. But In crisis they would leap
to the defense Of the United States and the Consti,
tuition they violate They would sacrifice in a war.
They do sacrifice in peace.
Because they pay the extortionate prices for
their Illicit liquor, they create the business which
produces these modern criminals who wage war upon
society with machine guns.
For 1t is their money for which these modern
outlaws really fighting.
The money which bought that machine gun
which killed a courageous and honest official came,
in the first instance, from who would
not be tempted to violate any other law.
The of the professional prohibitionist
is that these patrons should be put into JAIL
That may be true. But there would not be
enough and outside OF Jail to stand
guard II every man and woman who has violated the
vostead act should be sent to Jail as often as they
violate It.
Their conscience does not trouble them. They
do not believe that is criminal drink beer They
may be cautious through fear but they no degra
dalton from their acts
AS long continue to make criminal any
act which does not violate Che conscience Of the ma
jority as long put premium on that act and
make it profitable for men to cater to the violations
of others, we can expect exactly what is happening
in Chicago
Men have always risked their lives for gold The
early miners killed each other quite often. They
did not hesitate to jump claims.
Whenever rich rewards are hung up before the
weak and the venal the greedy there will be
who will any means to get it.
The single fact that these men could obtain
machine gun for their ruthless purpose is evidence
of how great we are creating in this
country.
Perhaps the answer may be the strict enforce
ment Of the prohibition law 1t may be in sending
every man and woman to Jail who buys drink
from these modern criminals.
That admittedly, will require army Of Off
cials and very different officials than those who now
accept graft from these criminals, very different
those who are named to help the political fortunes
of Senator.
The answer may come in appeal to public
sentiment ard public conscience strong enough and
in such terms will convince every man and woman
that every purchase they make is criminal and a
sinful act. But that has been tried for years. and
appetite seems to be stronger than conscience.
Or is not the answer in such change in the
laws on this subject as will not make criminals out
of majority of citizens, change In the system
which will take away the possibility of quick for
for the criminal?
Until the profit, huge and unprecedented is
eliminated from the violation of this law, there will
be criminal armies organized business political
and defensive basis-and more killings