The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-04-06
dead. He was the goat to allay pub 1 lie clannr but the public is not Sat-

hI NlhAbOI1 OuO JIiC PuDi4I 10 AiOC onG- isfied that justice has been done!
 To those familiar with the hor- rible scene in 8 death house, where human being is about to be brut- ally murdered, there is not one ex- cuse for capital punishment. Of the advocates of capital punishment it may be said, they take darkness for light, and great is the darkness.
 In the words of an eminent di- vine, Capital punishment can only be possible amongs people who have no hope or faith in the abounding love and mercy of God. Amongst whom religion is mock cry and the God they worship a pa- gan diety who cannot be appeased but by blood and a cruel dogma of revenge. A God created by human misconception of the true Father whose nature and name is love, whose greatest aversion is of, pain and suffering, and whose pity and forgiveness is unmeasurable for his children who have gone astray."
 Not long ago the Rev. A. z. Con- rad of the Park Street church, New York; in a sermon on capital pun ishment said: T am utterly and un- alterably opposed to capital punish ment. It Is known fact that crime has increased in spite of 1t. There is always a possibility of taking the life of the innocent. It is directly against the teaching of Christianity. The taking of the life of man, played up as it is in the press of to- day, suggests the taking of life to the morbid minds who read the accounts. Further believe the state has no right to ask a man to kill another man which he would not do of his own free will. I would suffer execution myself before I would press the button that would send an immortal soul before its maker"
 Take the power to pardon from the officials of the state, and let the murderer spend his whole life in prison; give him opportunity to re- pent honestly and not through fear of immediate death, and there would be no need for capital pun ishment." There is only one com mandment, and that one says to all and everyone, state or individual, Thou shalt not kill" Who cannot give life, have no right to take it.
 It has well been said that the case for capital punishment has never been proved. The homicide rate has not declined in the states that re- tain it. On the other hand the homicide rate is lower in states that have abolished it. There is much truth in an observation of Bec- caria's, "Is it not absurd that the laws which detect and punish homi- eide, should in order to prevent murder. publicly commit murder themselves" To quote the same writer again." There is much req son to believe that our executions have direct and positive tendency to promote both murder and sui- eide" Capital punishment is relic of the brutal barbarian of the dark ages, which not only brutalizes those who minister to 1t, such as wardens, guards and others who toshC pulI III lt, UuJ LIlC COulHluIllLy as well. Just as long as we have capital punishment we will have wars and more wars, both are re- lated to each other--born of the same spirit of hate and revenge.
 Meanwhile those interested in crime, courts and lawyers and mur- der cases, not to say anything of Jersey justice, will find profit in studying the Hall-Mills case in New Jersey, the Mooney case in Califor- mia, the White-Thaw in New York as well as the case of Police Lieu tenant Becker who died in the elec- trio chair in Sing Sing much the same way as Hauptmann. Some day popular indignation and decency will abolish capital punishment, but before that time many innocent vic- tins will no doubt have paid the price as well as guilty ones.
 FRED EDWARDS.