Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-22

National debate has been aroused by
the suggestion from George w. Wick
eraham, chairman of President Hoover's
Law Enforcement Commission, that the
country should investigate the possible
results of hogging for bandits and SIM
| liar criminals. Supporters of the idea
believe that such treatment would di-
Vorce heroics from crime and would
create a healthy fear on the part OF
the law breakers. Opponents view the
remedy as medieval in its cruelty, and
point out that in all punishment the
! form of penalty has no erect on the
problem of detection and conviction.
I'm view of the failure of every other
device known" advises the Cincinnati
ENQUIRER, there surely, Is something to
be said for trying this one. But q re-
turn to this ancient method of cor
rection would be justified only in the
case of those offenders who, by their
fragrant disregard of law, have put
themselves into the category Of medieval
cut-throats and robbers. Let the pun
ishment 1T the crime is not an I'M
reasonable guide. When the nature
of the crime is that of relentless war
against society, then the punishment
may well be the painful process Of hog-
ging that has been forgotten except In
England and a few of the States"
geSts the Louisville Times, with the
statement that lit relieves the beginner
In crime of a sense Of Importance which
tends to cause him to bear with equa-
nimity punishments commonly inflicted,
where whipping Is not legally pro-
vided punishment" The Detroit Free
press believes that, "discreetly admins
, tered thrashing sometimes has a. quiet
ing effect on the vivac1tieS OF young
he afefo % n
notion that it is smart and manly 10
perpetrate hold-ups and burglaries. "
The Chattanooga Times agrees that
1.-THE cat would have q wholesome in
fuence on gangsters." but asks, What
would be the use of it, If it is going
to continue to be impossible to catch
the criminals?"
eff inhumane treatment Of killers
will reduce materially the promiscuous
killing of innocent men," in the Judg-
ment of the Ann Arbor Daily News,
sit certainly deserves the consideration
that Mr.. Wickersham suggests" That
paper adds "Flogging might, indeed, De
impressively educative in its effect. IL
was somewhat effective at times when
practiced in the woodsheds OF another
generation" The Harrisburg Tele-
graph thinks it will bear thinking
about" though it is convinced. that
1.-The only real cure for racketeerlng is
a reform of society from the top, The
Kansas City Times says that 1T mas
more terrors for the bandit or the
gangster than prison" That paper
continues ct takes all the hero stun
out of him. His bravado vanlShes.
He does not even have the seI-eSteem
that SO often marks elusive bandits. 1t
might be we'll to follow Mr.. wicker
sham's suggestion, and make a study
of the subject, including the long-rlIn
effect on the punished"
Assuming that the method could
not be tested unless it were restored,
"at least tentatively" the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat asks, "Who could be
sure of its teachings?" and gives the
advice: Let us center unfalterlngly
every effort we can put forth on the
certainty of punishment. II. after we
have done that with such success that
no guilty. man longer escapes, our
problem is still unsolved we might go
back to the barbaric whipping post.
Even then it would be found no
panacea. To make punishment certain
is q formula that long has worked well
In many foreign countries"
A statement by the Worcester Eve
ming Gazette that "flogging is an ancient
institution" Is linked by the paper with
the thought: why this method alone
has survived from the innumerable
forms of torture once practiced on
prisoners, it is difficult to say" The
San Francisco Chronicle remarked
"The retention of this penalty is more
frequently cited as reproach than in
praise" The Chronicle also asks; sIf
1t so difacllt to send such people to