Evening star., 1932-03-11

Intermixed with the Nations expires.
sionS of sympathy with the parents oi
the 20-month-old Lindbergh baby, kid
naped from his crib, and of outrage al
the crime, IS a general and bitter de-
nunciation Of criminal conditions which
made 1t possible and a universal de-
mand for Swifter and Surer justice in
dealing with rackets and racketeering
hoodlumism, etc, in all its forms. II
Is felt that this particular crime is one
against the entire Nation, since the
baby was looked upon as the child OF
the people, and the abduction, involving
so prominent family, is viewed as a
fagrant defiance of society and an indi-
cation of the size to which the spirit
of lawlessness has grown.
That all have been moved by the kid
naping Is attested by the Boston Tran
script, mot Just because he Is the Lind
berghs' baby, but because he Is every
body's baby. The universality Of this
sentiment" continues the Transcript,
"lieS at the bottom of the deep shudder
of resentment that has passed over the
country. Who can blame, who shall
even appraise, the general desire that
the outrage, as an outrage against
humanity shall ultimately be atoned
for?" The Boise (Idaho) States
man declares: Practically every man,
woman and child in America felt that
the child belonged partly to each of
them. In all history few babies have
possessed the well wishes Of as many
individuals in all walks Of life"
The San Antonio Express similarly
sees this crime as due to "the break
down of the law" while the Rochester
Times Union offers the comment:
"Our tangle Of conflicting jurisdictions,
our sometimes comic SheriffS repre-
septing the law in the thousands of
separate counties, the dominance of
partisan politics in selecting prosecu-
tors and even judges-all these make
q. sort Of jungle in which criminals can
hide and effective law enforcement is
hampered at every turn. II anything
can stir us to clear away this tangle,
this case should" The Buffalo Eve
ming News declares: 1.-THE medieval
idea. of protecting the citizen from the
injustices of authority has become con-
siderably less important to modern
Americans than the protection of citi-
zens from the atrocities Of criminals
who defy authority"
k** -
But others see not the law enforce
ment agencies but the people themselves
as responsible for the crime. But why
should America be stunned?" asks the
Minneapolis journal. "Is not the kid
naping Of the Lindbergh baby or some
other baby equally well known the log
ical, almost predictable, result of the
country'S tolerance of white-collared
hoodlumism in the last half-dozen
wears? So long as a large seq
ment Of society makes notableS, If not
outright heroes, of racketeers so long
will there be danger for babies" The
Miami Daily News voices the query.
will we be frank enough to admit that
we, as citizens, are to blame for the
condition? The power Of government,
of organized society, Is placed in our
hands, and II we allow 1t to be uSurped
have placed the weapon in the hands of
the criminal Who now def1es U.s."
Plotting and execution Of the crime
was the most daring stroke of recent
criminology, and 1t may well prove to
be the most costly to those who live by
crime" declares the Omaha World
Herald, stating as to kidnapping: If
man Is capable of a more contemptible
act. it has not yet been revealed" The
Chicago Daily News asserts: The en-
tire Nation must declare war on the
kidnapers and fight this war to finish
The challenge of the terroriSts in the
case is grave warning and
summons to determined action" The
Roanoke Times exclaimS: KIDNAPPING
must stop. On that the American peo-
pie are agreed"
After the initial shock Of the Lind
bergh kidnapping" according to the San
Francisco Chronicle. the first hope OF
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