Milford chronicle., 1929-03-01
NEEDLESS TEARS

The Detroit Free Press, which is
certainly not fanatical on the prohi-
bition question, in an editorial
Needless Tears" defends the peo-
pie of Michigan in sentencing a
mother of ten children" to the pen
itentiary for life because of the
fourth felonious violation of the pro-
hibition law. The editorial gives
some facts which have been obscur-
ed by the campaigners in, behalf of
the bootleg trade:
There seems to be no end to the
tears the professional sob squadders
feel they must shed over Mrs. Eta
Miller, now serving life term in the
Detroit house of correction because
she insisted upon repeatedly defy
ing the liquor laws of the state. Act
ually there is no reason to weep ov-
er the woman's situation, as far as
her treatment by the agencies of the
law is concerned. Mrs. Miller has
borne 10 children, it is true-so have
many other women who have not
found it necessary to run blind pigs
but only four of the 10 survive,
and three of those are married and
the other is being supported by the
state; so the theory that she was
driven to illegal practices in order
to support a family rather falls by
the wayside.
"And although Mrs. Miller has
been convicted only four times, she
has been in trouble with the law
large number of times, if apparently
reliable reports are accurate; and
when last apprehended, she had a
12-year-old girl in her place serving
drinks to customers. Mrs. Miller is a
confirmed and obstinate lawbreaker.
She was a menace to the community
where she lived, and the thing to do
was to place her where she could
cause no more trouble.
''Those who for propaganda rea-
sons, which have nothing whatever
to do with love of justice or the pub
lie good, are trying to make hero
inc and martyr out of an aged pur-
veyor of rotten booze, do not worry
much over the harm the woman has
been doing. They are not concerned
about the injury to persons she has
sold her wares to. And in that con-
nection it is pertinent to notice that
some of. those who mourn assidu-
Ously over the woman's troubles are |
persons or publications who also |
make a speciality of crying over the
hard fate of assassins while forget
ing about those they have murder
I'd.
1.-THE Detroit Times said in a re-
cent editorial, Grandma Miller made
he mistake of violating the Eigh-
zenith Amendment in dry COM
nunity. She also made the mistake of
)eing poor And with this as a pre-
Mise the publication proceeded to
IN utterance that was close to an I
Indictment to lawbreak-
ng and meant nothing at all, if it
lid not mean that in the opinion of
he newspaper, Mrs. Miller and 9TH
RS like her have a perfect right to
ely the statutes and practice boot
egging if they are able to get away
With it; and ought not to be punish
d if they are caught.
"We are inclined to the belief that
he Michigan criminal code, though
most excellent legal instrument as
stands, is perhaps little severe in
ealing with fourth offenders who
ave done nothing except violate the
quor laws in a relatively small
ray, and that perhaps a term of
ears, something less than life,
-ould be sufficient punishment for
hronic wrongdoers of that sort. But
ne hardship, if any exists, is not
cry great, because nobody is oblig- l
to break the law; and the over ;
everity certainly is not so serious {
n evil as that created by reckless i
ersons or publications who incite t
ldividuals to break the law of the {
nd, and undertake to glorify and i
AXE heroes of those who suffer z
enalties for doing so. An apology !
II crime which tends to incite crime I
as real an offense against society I
; is the commission of crime it.
If"
81 have the faith that moves 4
said Mr.. Cooler. u