Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-04

Much national interest has been
liam H. Murray of Oklahoma when he
paroled three men recently with the re-
quirement that they leave the State.
Protests are made that this is hard on
| the other commonwealths OF the Union,
although it is conceded by some editors
| that it is in accordance with a practice
which has been known in the past.
I las a matter Of fact" says the Cleve-
| land News, "he is merely following in
| the open a custom that has been wide
| spread in this country, II kept some
what under cover, for years. The prac-
tice OF running paroled convictS out OF
| the State which has been unfortunate
enough to be their host is common.
| The old exile idea of the Romans and
| later OF the French and English has
| had many opponents in later years.
| One OF the by-productS OF the Baumes
laws is driving the two or three time
offender out of the State which has
| these laws and into another which has
not. Alfalfa Bill can hardly set prec-
edent in a situation such as this. II
| would appear that the concern Tor his
almost conventional behavior in respect
| to the paroles was not without definite
I
seething for years. No mans political
| life has been safe in the State which
once saw machine guns trained on the
| State LEGISLATURE. Alfalfa Bill appears
| To be the latest victim of the State S
political cabals His forthrightnesS and
utter absence Of sham makes him all
| the more vulnerable to plotters."
This system stirs recollections," &C
cording to the South Bend Tribune, OF
] the days when police forces and magls-
| trates kept local crime at a minimum
| by escorting or ordering escorted TO the
| town limits all suspicious strangers. II
| was dubious procedure, for it was either
| invasion of private rights or evasion OIL
duty But no great harm was done for
| the reason that the persons run out OF
| town were not necessarily people VINO
| intended to commit crimes in that town
| nr any other. With conVictS 1t is dlt-
ferent. Gov. Murray evidently
reasons that the conyicts to whom ne Is
granting paroles are too good to stay
| in prison and too bad to stay in Okla
homa. Citizens of other States viii
reason that if the convicts are toe
dangerous for liberty in Oklahoma they
ought to be kept in Oklahoma prisons
"If Oklahoma had the hoOf-and-
| mouth disease or the san Jose scale,
argues the Chicago Tribune, lit woulc
be put under an embargo. and if among
citizens departing from the State there
Is reason to suspect that there are eX-
nelled convicts required to practice else
where a quarantine would be the rea'
sonable protection at the border. Okla
homa's neighbors are not in need Of
such imports. 1t would not make &
desirable state of affairs in the Uniof
10 nut up barriers against a sovereign
state and coop its citizens within fol
the protection Of others but Mr.. Murray
sho,ild perceive that this would be quite
liustifled if he insists that other State!
shall take care Of Oklahoma's Grim
mails"
"A vicious way of attacking crime
since it unloads criminals on Other
/ communities" declares the Baltimore
sun. while the Roanoke News com
ments: How would Gov. Murray anc
his fellow Oklahomans like for then
State to be used as a dumping-grounc
for the undesirables Of Arkansas, Texas
New Mexico and other nearby States
Their roars of angry protest would re
sound throughout the Southwest. Ye
there is Just as much reason for Texa
to send It's criminals into exile in Okla
homa as there is for the Governor o
Oklahoma to adopt measure which
can only result In swelling the crimina