Evening star., 1932-05-23

Discovery, many weeks after he had
had been stolen from the home of his
famous parents, of the body of the
Lindbergh baby stirs the Nation to a
demand. not only that the kidnapers
and murderers of the child be speedily
apprehended and given the extreme
penalty. but that punishment be made
swift and sure for all criminals. 1t is
pointed out by many, however, that
the blame lies in the failure of the
people as well as of law-enforcement
agencies to act against the ruthless
forces Of gangdom in the past. Inter
mixed with sympathy for the parents
OF the child, horror at the enormity of
the crime and desire for revenge is a
feeling of shame that such thing
could happen in this country.
Condemned, also, are the activities
Of those who pretended to have con-
facts with the kidnapers, leading on
with false hopes both the baby's
parents and a sympathizing world.
1T is literally the heart of the world
that is touched" says the Des Moines
Tribune of the universal sympathy for
Col. and Mrs. Lindbergh, coming not
only from this country but from all
nations and peoples. ''The Lindbergh
broken heart finds echo in the SYM
pathetic soul of all humanity" asserts
the Meridian Star "Criminality which
strikes at the cradle strikes at all man
kind" The general feeling is ex-
pressed by the Rock Island Argus in its
comment that "our personal distresses
and perplexities fade into insigniflcance
as our thoughts turn to the bereaved
parents, whose grief, like unto our SYM
pathy. is too deep to find adequate ex-
preston in words"
Calling 1t "a crime of crimes" the
Portland Oregon Journal asks the in
evitable question: 'Is orderly govern
ment supreme, or is gangland the real
government" With recognition of the
fact that mo child is even compare
lively safe" and that "the country is
infested by an insolent criminal popu-
lation," the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
feels that "the tragedy Is sufficient
provocation for a law enforcement
revolution in the United States" and
sees evidence of a purpose to construct
"a legal and social code of ethics which
shall forever remove the profits from
all forms of criminality."
1.-The one course open,"' in the judg-
ment of the Oakland Tribune. ''is to
dSSCPb G1IC VI Illc gangs dllQ
fight 1t out until the Nation is freed
of the influence and rule of the under
world" The Dayton Daily News de-
mands: Lets make not merely one
conspicuous murder, but murder in
general, a risky business in the United
States"
The Morgantown Dominion News
sees "a nation hungry for revenge" !"
as a result Of 'the greatest crime in
modern history" The Gary Post
Tribune agrees that "the American
people demand that the criminal pay
for his crime" while the Sioux City
Journal voices the belief that 'law
enforcement must be made hard and
merciless and unyielding." The Apple
ton Post Crescent goes further in its
assertion that "the Nation must do
something more than merely rise up
in its wrath it must wipe out
the scums Of humanity, the ghouls and
vampires"
The San Antonio Express voices a
thought that occurs to many in it's
statement: Confronted with the hide
GUS truth that such a thing could be
done In this proud, civilized land, Amer
lea stands shamed before the whole
world" Declaring that "the American
people are on trial before the world"