Evening star., 1932-05-13
National Shame and Sorrow

The American Nation bows its head
In shame and humiliation In the dis
closure Of the shocking proof Of vii
famous crime in the kidnapping Of the
Lindbergh baby. For weeks it was hope
full that the child would be recovered,
that hope waning with each failure to
gain contact with the kidnapers. Then.
without a flash of warning, came last
evening the news Of the pitiful find in
the woods near the Lindbergh home,
the body Of the child, slain long ago
probably soon after it was taken from
its crib. possibly at once.
This discovery puts the crime in a
category Of utter fiendishness. The
stealing Of the little one for ransom
was not in itself altogether unusual. But
no number of precedents could lessen
the sorrow that was universally felt for
the parents, whose names we're known
throughout the world and for whom
rarely bestowed. Their grief was no
greater, of course, than that of other
parents whose children have been stolen
for reward or revenge. The American
people. however. were aroused by this
crime as rarely before in history.
Then came the complicated and pro-
tracted negotiations with supposed
agents Of the kidnapers, with finally the
payment Of a rich ransom, only to the
end Of discovering that second crime
had been committed, that of fraud, des-
picable to the last degree 1t is now
clear that in all likelihood this sec
ond crime was committed by others
than the stealers of the child.
Now is revealed third crime, that Of
murder. doubtless the deed of those who
took the baby from its bed at the Lind
bergh home. Who they are and when
they slew their victim remains to be dis
covered. It is the fervent prayer of the
people Of this country that they may
soon be found and punished as swiftly
as the law permits.
The sense Of humiliation now felt BY
the people of America is caused by the
reflection that this crime is typical of
the period The Lindbergh kidnapping
is symptom of the spirit Of lawlessness
and cruelty that prevails to q degree
never before known in this part Of the
world. With all the forces Of education
and culture, with all the supposed en-
lightenment Of which the American
people are beneficiaries, these vile, ele-
mental, criminal impulses manifest
themselves despite the supposed re-
straints Of the law. There was more
security in the earliest days of the set
tlement of this wild region, when every
home boundary was frontier.
One Of the saddest features Of this
case is that throughout the period of
sorrowful waiting for developments there
has been no feeling Of confidence in the
ultimate capture and punishment Of the
| criminals. So many crimes have been
committed. of this same nature and
others, without the imposition of any
penalty, that in the minds of the people
the law has become virtually nullined.
This is desperate condition. Thus
the Lindbergh case, apart from the
poignancy of its immediate distress, Is
a symbol Of the forfeiture of trust In the
securities which have supposedly been
provided by the law and the agencies of
government against the evil that stalks
abroad in many forms
No manner of sympathetic expression
can convey any measure Of relief to the
bereaved parents, whose worst fears are
now confirmed. From the first moment
of the initial stage of the tragedy they
have been given the heartfelt condo
lence Of the people. No success in the
search for the wretches who did this
bestial deed will solace them. But for
the sake of all Americans the hope is
that this mystery will be quickly solved
and that retribution will be so meted
out to these murderers that their fate
will deter others hereafter from at
tempting such villainies, for gain OF
| for vengeance.