Evening star., 1933-08-04

National attention Is directed to
the outcome Of the kidnapping case In
Missouri, where q Kansas City court
ordered the hanging Of Walter MCGEE
for the abduction Of Mary McElroy,
daughter Of City Manager McElroy.
Much Endorsement Is given to the order
ing Of this penalty, although there Is
some belief that the sentence should in
volve q greater sense Of retribution,
while on the other hand q fear Is ex-
pressed. as In previous discussions Of
the subject, that Endorsement Of the
law might be dangerous to the victim.
This woman stealer," remarks the
Toledo Blade. may be too young to
remember that like penalty was once
customarily imposed upon horse thieves,
were balanced evenly one against the
other in the scale Of values, but that
other horses might not be stolen. The
horse stealing industry declined as more
and more thieves were hanged at a
time when the only loophole in the law
was moose at the end of rope. Pos
sibly kidnapers may be similarly dis
couraged or frightened"
With a welcome for the Federal in
vestigators' entrance into this field
more actively than before" the San
Antonio Express declares: Prosecutor
Mastin's opinion that one hanging will
be a more effective deterrent than 20
penitentiary sentences doubtless will be
echoed generally. Attorney General
Cummings, who has thrown the Fed
eral Department of Justice into the
concerted drive against kidnapers and
other organized criminals, comments
that the Kansas City verdict shows
how the people feel about this prob
lem While hysteria Is to be depre-
Gated as inimical to justice In the end,
the widespread conviction that here Is q
desperate situation demanding q des-
perate remedy is well founded"
mo penalty" thinks the New York
Sun, "is too heavy for those who com
NIT the detestable crime" and that
paper feels that "the suffering they in
flict on individuals and the fear they
create In the popular mind call for the
utmost severity" The Rock Island
Argus argues that "the wretches are
without mercy themselves and the pun
ishment of death fits such crime" "
The Pasadena Star-News suggests that
at Is ridiculous to assume that an en-
lightened society cannot find means for
wiping out, at least to q large degree.
this nefarious racket" That paper
points out that It Is but one phase Of
the entire racketeering business" and
Is inclined to believe that America will
neeed to surrender its fondness for
local independence and make every po-
liceman Of the Nation part Of great,
centralized organization" The Star
News also quotes q suggestion that
every one be compelled to carry pass
port"
time for society to hard-bol itself. "
thinks the Minneapolis Journal: Among
the comments on the penalty, however,
which says: while our national con-
science will stand for a life for life,
It Is not trained to demand the death
penalty for any lesser crime" and that
Of the New York Herald Tribune, which
observes that "the sentence was not
passed upon the criminal but upon the
crime" Replying to these, the Provi-
dence Journal argues: There Is, never
theless, o very general determination
that kidnapping shall cease. No hallway
measures will suface and the Nation .
in no mood for them. It calls upon all
constituted authorities having jurisdic-
ton, whether Federal, State or local, to
do their utmost to put an end to the
vicious business of making on with VIC
tins, young and old, for whose return
q ransom can be expected. The gang
sters must be made to understand that
the American people are In absolute
earnest In this matter, and that there
Is o wen defined sentiment In favor Of
what may be called emergency rigor Of
punishment in view Of the new and
Nationwide need"
Rising national demand that kid
mapping b stamped out at all costs" is
recognissd By the Norfolk Virginian