Evening star., 1933-12-06

The kidnapping evil will not be cured
by the substitution of lynch law for
the orderly processes Of the courts, in
the opinion Of the press. Resort to
laylessness is held to do little except
breed further lawlessness, despite the
recognition of a widespread lack OF
confidence in speedy justice.
In the words of the San Jose Mer-
curry Herald: I'VE have more serious
crime problem than other civilized
countries because We bring to bear on
it nothing but passing emotions. we
rail at the ineficiency OF our ponce oe-
partments and prosecutors, at the waste
of time in trials. at the release OF oan-
gerous criminals after they are con-
Victed. forgetting that 1t Is our re,
sponsibility to see that laws are passed
providing for an efficient, up-to-date
law enforcement organization and
proper prison administration. We are
reminded time and again that we are
using the antiquated system OF our
pioneer fathers. and yet do nothing
about it. 1t is time to be indignant
at ourselves because we use our emo
tions on these questions when we
should use our intelligence. We have
been going on the theory that this
gigantic industrial society science has
built up would automatically run it
self. The alarming crime situation
should make US realize that 1t Will
crash on the rocks unless We get more
intelligent thinking and less blind emo
ton into our affairs"
The Asbury Park Evening Press de-
clares that "if the law is to be re-
spected. it must be respected by the
fc ri al tod W
inals." and the Baltimore Sun says that
eff the brutality of q crime is to be
accounted sufficient excuse for mob
murder. then we might as well give up
courts. police and all attempts at law
enforcement in respect to crime prop
erly defined as brutal" . The same
paper adds: I'VE might as well turn
back to private disposition the very
sort Of offenses for which. it had been
supposed. public authority was or
ganized."
Nevertheless, the Philadelphia Eve
ming Bulletin is convinced that there
will be law-abiding, law-loving people
all over the country. sincere and honest
in their protest against lynch law. who
will confess a feeling that these San
Jose kidnapers, guilty Of one Of the
most atrocious murders as a sequel to
served" and the Oshkosh Daily North
western predicts that ''the method used
at least should serve to put more fear
into the hearts and minds of the law
less elements that have been praying
upon society for q long time"
On the other hand. 1t Is the opinion
Of the Providence Journal that "the
way to right one evil is not by the
preparation Of another evil, and we
shall never get at the right solution
Of the kidnapping or the criminal
assault problem in this country by
matching violence against violence" !"
Even more emphatic Is the Columbia
Record, which calls the lynching "un-
necessary" and remarks that the VIC
tins "are no deader now than they
would have been" The only difference,
as this paper sees 1t, is that Cali
fornia now has 100 murderers going
about business as usual in San Jose,
safe and unmolested, instead Of having
merely two who were to die for their
crime"
The youngstown Daily Vindicator
calls attention to the fact that "in the
present temper Of the public they could
be sure that Holmes and Thurmond
would pay for their crimes; they were
not out to see that justice was done
where 1t would otherwise be denied.
but to give free play to the blood
thirsty instincts that always lurk be-
meath the surface Of the mob" That
paper adds that "the worst of these
crimes Is the effect they have on those
who participate in them and upon
others in whom they encourage de-
fiance, not only Of one law but Of all" I"
Taking issue with this statement, the
Scranton Times predicts that criminals
In California contemplating kidnapings
W" think twice sfter what happened
- ..,e slayers of Brooke Hart" and