davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-08-21
What Kind of Low?

In letter printed elsewhere on this
page, A. J. Spero, a local attorney, oHers
some interesting suggestions as to the Klno
of law which should be enacted for the
District to cover the so-called sex offenders.
At this time, as The Star previously has
pointed out, there is little better than no
law applicable to this type OF ot1enSe.
The degenerates guilty of such offenses as
molesting children, indecent exposure, ETC.,
are treated as routine, petty offenders.
They are arrested and taken to court.
There they are fined relatively nomlnal
sum or sent to jail for few weeks or
months. Then they are turned back on
the community until the police pick them
up again.
In fact, under existing law, the courts
handle the cases of these offenders IN
about the same way they used to handle
chronic drunks. At the last session OF
Congress, however, legislation was enacted
which recognizes that drunkenness is
disease, and that it should be dealt with
as such. If that is true in the case OF the
alcoholics-and it is-it is far more true
of that collection of warped individuals
who come under the general heading of
sex offenders And there is this important
additional distinction: The alcoholic, gen.
orally speaking, is primarily menace TO
himself; the sex offender, as the expand
ing list of their victims will attest, is
potential killer and menace to the whole
community.
An interview with police authorities dis
closes that the sex offender almost in
variably is repeater. One local character
has a record of eighteen arrests for in
decent exposure, and he is still roaming
the streets Another man. recently ar
rested for an assault involving siX-year-
old girl has record of sex offenses dating
back to 1921.
ManifeStly, these are mental cases. 1t
Is wasteful and pointleSs to send them to
Jail periodically for a few months. For
these people are not susceptible OF cure
through punishment. They should be
treated as would be any other mentally
deranged individual. They should be COM
mitted for treatment until cured, and if
they cannot be cured they should be kept
In confinement.
United States Attorney Fay, who has
found that the law in the District affords
less protection than in forty seven States,
is working on proposed new statute which
would provide sitter penalties in certain
types of cases. This is desirable step in
the right direction. Mr.. Spero proposes a
comprehensive study of the whole problem
by committee composed of representa-
tives of the District Bar and the medical
fraternity, with a view to the submission of
findings and recommendations representa-
tive of both the medical and legal points
of view.
This very definitely is meritorious sug-
gestion. 1t should commend itself to the
legal and medical professions, as well as
to the public generally
Evening star., 1947-08-21
Moscow 300

The Soviet cabinet has ordered popular
celebration of the eight hundredth ami
VerSary OF the founding of Moscow. In
cluded in the required celebration will be
the unveiling of monument to Prince
Yuri Dolgoruki, the original sponsor of the
city. The chronicle of the Ipatiev Monas-
terry says that he instructed one of his
chieftains to meet him at the village of
Moskva in 1147. Allegedly, a celebration
OF victory over some hostile tribes was held
there and the prince liked the location so
well that he commanded a fortress to be
built on the hill where the Kremlin now
stands.
Because it was Crossroads" of rough
tracks between Kiev and old Novgorod, the
site was strategically important. Oleg,
brother-in-law of the legendary Rurik,
had set up a temporary settlement there as
early as 1872. The work of Dolgoruki was
done all over again by Daniel son of
Alexander Nevskoi, who received the title
of Duke of Moscow after constructing GER
tain Kremlin buildings. Ivan I, during
the years 1328-1341, laid the foundation of
the future financial significance of the
GOWIl dCClllS do tdA COllCIGO1 1OA VllC
Mongol Horde, thus placing the east
Russian princes in position of depend
ence on Moscow for security from Tatar
raids"
The modern capital, however, traces
back only as far as 1867, when Dmitri
Ivanovitch surrounded the Kremlin with
a brick wall. Tamerlane captured the
whole community in 1882 and it remained
in Tatar control until it was liberated by
Ivan the Great, who reigned from 1478 to
1905 Whatever secular edifices survived
the next three centuries perished in the
conf1agration which greeted Napoleon in
1872. Yet even now the city has an
Oriental character deriving from its an
cient past The intervention of the Boil
sheviks has altered conditions of life in
Moscow without eliminating the influence
of Byzantium and Persia and China.
Whether the traveller approaches by rail-
road, automobile or plane, it is an Eastern
skyline that he sees. The projected COM
memoration of Yuri Dolgoruki and his
pioneer enterprise of eight hundred years
ago will fit into the prevailing pattern
90 civ enoI1ph
Evening star., 1947-08-21
Letters to The Star
A Lawyers View of Sex Grimes

A LAWYERS View of Sex Grimes
To the Editor of The Star:
I have read your editorial of August Is, en-
titled where the Law Fails" with a great deal
of interest. May I, as a practicing local at
torney add some comments and personal expert
ences in support of the general theme outlined
in that editorial?
1 had occasion not so long ago to represent
a young man serving his second enlistment IN
the Navy who had been charged with dis
orderly conduct and indecent exposure. The
disorderly conduct with which he had been
charged was, in fact the molestatlon OF lo
and II year-old girls. With the help OF the
probation Office of the Municipal Court ana
various naval officials, was able to obtain the
defendants complete history up to the time OF
his arrest. AS might have been expected, there
were other incidents of similar nature in his
BACKGROUND, all of which led to the inescapable
conclusion that here was an example OF
twisted personality which no punishment
would cure.
I tried to impress this conclusion upon the
responsible authorities involved in this matter.
y,
ton over the criminal until the civil authori-
ties had relinquished jurisdiction. The civil
authorities refused to release the defendant
unless certain representations were made to
them by the Navy to the effect that he would
receive treatment, which the naval ofhclals
contacted refused to make
Faced with this impasse between the con-
f1icting authorities, I attempted to obtain some
assurance from the responsible naval ohclals
that upon the defendants release from jail
he would receive psychiatric treatment; at the
same time, I asked the judge OF the Municipal
Court to order an examination OF the de-
fendant by doctor on the staff OF one OF the
District mental institutions Both efforts were
unsuccessful Within two days after serving
his comparatively short Jail sentence, he was
discharged by the Navy as undesirable" Thus,
another of these offenders has been let loose
on the community to continue his activities
and perhaps one day to figure in sensational
newspaper story involving the commission OF
some major sex crime.
Part of the difficulty encountered in trying
to help this person was the impossibility of
overcoming the instructive revulslon expert
enced by the authorities when apprised of the
nature Of the offense committed. This revul-
sion of feeling, common to all of us, is indeed
the major stumbling block to an intelligent
approach to the problem. Instinctively, it is
felt that no punishment is too severe for such
breaches of the moral code. Yet it is precisely
this normal reaction which must be overcome
before the problem may be dealt with in
satisfactory manner.
The approach must be along the lines indi-
Gated in the statement you quoted attributed to
]. Edgar Hoover: Sex offenders should be
treated = 3 as individuals needing medical
attention" rather than solely as criminals
Unless this approach is adopted, unless, indeed,
the advances in the field of psychiatry are in
corporated in the working rules Of the courts
other and more horrible crimes undoubtedly
will be committed in the future by those who
Evening star., 1947-08-21

Il earnestly request of you that my daughter
be spared this ordeal" the mother had written
when notified of the hearing. 4 am convinced
that the entrance procedure is not only very
harmful and injurious to the patient but en-
tirey at variance with the care and under
standing one finds among doctors, nurses and
attendants in this hospital"
Dr. Winifred Overholser. ST. Elizabeths
superintendent, had replied he shared her view
that to require a patient to hear her family
and friends testify that she was insane would
undo months of work of hospital psychiatrlsts
in building up her confidence.
The District Medical Society, he pointed out,
had recommended for some time that people
in need of mental care or their families be
permitted to make voluntary application Tor
admission to a hospital where they can be
treated before their condition becomes so bad
they become public problem.
But the existing law requires an open hear
ing where the patient can defend himselt'
before he is committed to a mental institution.
It's supposed to safeguard people from being
fraudulently or unjustly committed by persons
interested in getting rid of them.
Until 1885, this involved regular trial by|a
Jury of laymen. The old system was replaced
by commission headed by lawyer with
panel of psychiatrists to guide him. Still in
force, however, is the provision that the
patient must be served a warrant, followed
by the giving of testimony in his presence.
There has been so much emphasis on the
civil rights aspect of the problem" said DR..
Overholser, that in order to protect the theo-
retical one person who might concevaoly be
sent improperly to the hospital they are making
it extremely difficult for the SO who are urgently
in need of early care"
And so the young woman takes her seat'
deflantly facing the men across the table
Her mother sits beside her. patting her con-
tinually on the back Yes, she had tried to
lump out of second-f1oor window. Her voice
rose almost to a scream as she began answer
ing the questions. Yes, she had gone 'beserk.
Yes, she wanted to be butterfly. -
She turned to her mother. Bitterly came her
cry. "a farce isn't it?"
Evening star., 1947-08-21
Speed on the Rails

Reckless railroading is becoming prob
lem of increasing Importance to Govern
ment safety experts At the root of the
trouble, apparently. is the desire of the
railroads to meet demands of the public
for speed and more speed in getting from
one place to another. And the urge to
provide faster locomotion by rail un-
doubtedly is Influenced by inroads being
made on train travel by commercial air
traffic.
A study by Interstate Commerce Com
mission experts of train accidents shows
that derailments, collisions and other mis-
haps are on the rise and that excessive
speeds were to blame for many of the
Evening star., 1947-08-21

TODAY receive short Jail sentences on morals
charges.
The extent of this problem may be CLEANED
from statistics issued by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation and the Metropolitan Ponce
Force for the District of Columbia For the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1916, there were
14o arrests in the District Of Columbia 1or
indecent exposure alone and 1878 arrests 1or
disorderly conduct. How many In this latter
group were in reality sex ofenses is not reaoly
ascertainable. On national scale, the Feoeral
Bureau of Investigation reports that the rate
for sex offenses other than rape, prostitution
and commercialzed vice in 80 cities WIN
population over 250000 was 452 per 100000, OF
which 81 per 100000 were released without
being held for prosecution. These figures, of
course, do not tell the entire story Many sex
offenses are listed under other categories OF
crime On the basis of the figures here pre-
sented, however, it is obvious that the problem
is grave and "there is imperative need for
change in the law
It is submitted, however that increasing the
punishment is not the answer. The imposition
of long terms in jail does not correct the
difficulty which causes these offenders to act
in such aberrated manner. Reference to
articles and publications on this subject lndl-
Gates that treatment and not punishment is the
only effective method of handling these crimes.
Until the exact limits of the problem are
known however it would be difficult to de-
ternine what changes should be made in the
law. number of questions should be IN
vestigated and a body of information amassed
before reasonable recommendations as to
changes could be made Some of the factors
I believe to be pertinent are: The number OF
sex crimes committed in the District OF Co
lumbia by specific categories; the number OF
major sex offenders who have in the past COM
mtted minor" sex offenSes; statistical COM
parsons with other Jurisdictions should be
made and the differences in the sex crime rate
analyzed; solutions to the problem offered Dy
other jurisdictions and by prominent doctors
and lawyers should be compiled, and the pres
ent law in the District of Columbia should be
analyzed to determine the exact nature OF
the deficiencies in that law.
No doubt there are host of other questions
that should be considered. Those listed here
are merely offered as point of departure for
any investigation which is undertaken.
In the view of this correspondent the ur-
gency is so great that we cannot wait Hor an
aroused public opinion to demand reforms.
Action toward a solution of this problem IS
necessary now. The first step, in my opinion
should be the appointment of committee
consisting of members of the bar OF the District
of Columbia and psychiatrists who, after ex-
tensive analysis, would submit their findings
and recommendations on the entire prooiem.
II is certain that unless some such effort Is
made to obtain a workable solution to the
problem of handling these offenses and help the
offenders the list of sex murders will continue
IN grow. Al. SPERO.
Evening star., 1947-08-21
IIIoqicuI Balkan Vetoes

The old saying, Consistency, thou art
a Jewell" has no place in Moscow's diplo
matte lexicon. Soviet disregard of all logic
or consistency in the conduct of it's foreign
relations again has been strikingly ex-
emplified by tine diametrically opposite
theses of Mr.. Gromyko. the Soviet delegate
to the Security Council, in his handling of
the Balkan and Indonesian issues.
AS was clearly forecast Mr.. Gromyko
has paralyzed any action on the critical
situation in Greece by vetoing both the
United States resolution and milder Aus
tralian proposal. He did this against the
almost unanimous approval of the Council
to both the American and Australian reSo-
lutionS, his only supporter being the
Polish delegate, who enacted his customary
Charlie Mccarthy" role to his Soviet
mentor Furthermore, the Soviet and
Polish delegates, together with the spokes-
men for Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia
took the occasion to reiterate rhetorical
denunciations of the United States i'm
pugning our conduct and policies. The
effect of all this is not only disastrous to
the United Nations, but also threatens
grave crisis in the Balkans and in Soviet
American relations. This is so because our
delegate has announced that the matter
will be referred to the U. N. General
Assembly, where the veto does not obtain
and has further intimated that other
measures may be in prospect if the
Assembly proves unable to deal with the
matter
So much for Mr.. Gromyko's stand on the
Balkans; Yet almost in the same breath,
he is all for thorough consideration and
positive action by the Council on the Indo-
nesian case. This issue was raised by the
complaint of the regime styling itself the
IndoneSian Republic against the Neither
lands government. The Dutch contend
that the Council has no jurisdiction in the
matter, since the Indonesian regime is not
sovereign entity, but merely one of sew
eral political groupings in the Dutch
Indies which, by mutual agreement, are
to have full self-government under do
minion status within the Netherlands I'M
perial Union.
Whatever the practicalities of the issue
may be and the undesirability of continued
fighting between the Indonesians and the
Dutch, the Netherlands government seems
to have strong legal case Therefore,
our Government rendered it's good Offices
in the matter. Our offer was accepted by
the Dutch, but was virtually rejected by
the 1ndonesianS, who are obviously trying
to prejudge the issue by gaining legal
recognition from the Security Council as
a sovereign state.
Yet Mr.. Gromyko, who rejects U. N.
action on an issue in which only sovereign
nations are involved, strenuousy urges
such action on an issue wherein U. N.
jurisdiction is contested and is legally
dubious. He thus appears as the perfect
"Mr Facing-Both-Wa Yet since this
is pose frequently struck by Soviet diplo-
mats, from Foreign Minister Molotov down,
it should occasion no surprise. 1t merely
drives home to the rest of the world the
unpleasant truth that Moscow acts wholly
on expediency, utterly divorced from inter-
national comfy or morality.
Evening star., 1947-08-21
Bv THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@. What Is the origin Of the belief that the
wearing of certain kind OF ring wards OH
rheumatiSm?-L. P. w.
A. According to legend, the first cramp ring
was given to Edward the Confessor OF England
1OO4 1066) by pilgrim returned from Jerusa-
lem. who explained its supposedly miraculous
properties. Belief in the curative powers OF
similar circlets of sacred metal has fingered
even to the present day.
@ Which Is the longer river, the Mississippi
or the MiSsouri?-B. A. z.
A The Mississippi River Commission says
that the length of the Missouri River from its
headwaters to where it empties into the MisslS-
sippi River is 2464 miles. The length OF the
Mississippi River from it's headwaters to where
it empties into the Gulf of Mexico is 1857 miles.
@. When and where was Pascal celery IlrSt
eroWn?-E H. G.
A, The Department Of Agriculture says that
Pascal celery is an old European variety. 1t
is described in Vilmorins THE Vegetable Gar
den" in 1905. and has been known in this coun-
try for many, many years.
@ At what temperature should Irish po,a-
toes be kept to prevent their sproutnlg - "a.
A. To prevent sprouting, potatoes should De
stored in dark moist pit or cellar IN
temperature just above freezing.
@ Who inaugurated the custom e Boston
of placing lighted candles in windows -
Christmas time?-L. P. B.
A. In 1910 Mrs Ralph Adams Cram persuaded
a few of her friends to join with her in singing
Christmas carols and others to light canaies
in their windows. In the short time since the
idea was started, the tradition has grown
greatly and 1t is said that to come into LOUIS
burg Square where the carolers are singing,
and see the small-paned windows blazing with
candles Is sight never to be forgotten.
Evening star., 1947-08-21

more serious accidents during the first
half of this year. At this rate, the railroad
accident total at the end of this year will
approximate the all-time peak of 1892
reached in 1945. This peak was attributed
to deterioration of rolling stock and road
beds during the war years. AS new equip
ment and repairs began to relieve the stu
alton in 1946, an appreciable decline was
noted in the number of accidents.
But, despite greatly improved equipment
this year, the accident total began to go
up again, much to the concern of the rail-
roads, investigators and the travelling
public. Analysis of the major accidents
revealed common denominator-speed
ICC experts found that the worst 1947
accident to date, that on the Bennington
Curve in the Allegheny Mountains last
February, when twenty were killed, was
caused by y-flve-mile- e-an-hour speed in
thirty-mile-a -an-hour zone.
The difficulty is that most rails in use
today were laid on roadbeds graded and
curved to meet requirements of trains sew
eral decades ago. Meanwhile, however,
locomotives have been made more power
full, trains have been Streamlined and
speeds have been stepped up materially
The resultant strain on rolling stock and
rails has increased accordingly. Undoubt-
edly it is possible to make raiIroading safer
at higher speeds than have prevailed in
the past, but rebuilding grades and curves
Is costly business. The only safe alterna-
tive is for the railroads to reduce speeds,
even if they must sacrifice few customers
to the airlines
Evening star., 1947-08-21

in the privilege. Dying at eighty-one, he
leaves a name which will endure in the
annals of his time. He was typical of the
American folk, and he will be remembered
in that respect.
Evening star., 1947-08-21

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
1priter, although it is permissible for a
1Oriter known to The Star to use
nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1947-08-21
Questions and Answers

A reader can obtain the answer to any question
of fact BY writing The Evening Star 1nformation
Bureau 316 street NE, WASHINGTON q D. e.
Please inclose 3 cents for return postage.
Evening star., 1947-12-28
Trooper Struck on Head
But Arrests 7 AssaiIants
speciol Dispoteh 10 The Stor

WALDORF, Md, Dec. u - A
State trooper was struck over the
head with an automobile jack
handle near LaPlata but managed
to take his assailants into custody
despite severe injuries, the police
substation here disclosed today.
The trooper, Howard Dashiells, is
recovering in the University Hos
pital, Baltimore, police said. They
listed the men who hit him yester-
day as Thomas Thompson, 81, and
Sam Lyles, 28, both colored. OF
Bryantown. Thompson and Lyles
are charged with automobile lar
ceny, resisting arrest and assault
and battery and will be given a
hearing when Mr.. Dashiells RECEIVERS,
police said.
According to police, Trooper
Dashiells stopped an automobile
containing the two men on Route
on the suspicion it was stolen
car. He was looking into the cars
truck when the men struck him
from behind, he reported. Despite
the blow, the policeman. drew his
gun and covered the men. He then
staggered to his police car and
radioed for help.
Evening star., 1947-12-28

Two Washington automobile deal
ers were stranded for nearly two
hours yesterday on an island in the
Potomac River about two miles
downstream from Seneca, Md, be-
fore being rescued by an unidenti-
fled duck hunter while Montgomery
County police watched from the
shore.
The two, who also were duck
hunting, are Otho H. Williams, "a, of
35O5 Rittenhouse street NV, and
William w. Kirk, 81, of 9401 Mont
gomery avenue, North Chevy Chase,
Md. They operate the Williams
Auto Sales, 1929 Rhode Island ave-
nue. NE.
Mr.. Kirk said he and his COM
panion had rowed out to the island,
one in group about 100 yards
from shore sometime yesterday
morning. They tied their boat to a
tree. The river at that point is ap-
proximately 400 yards wide, Mr.. Kirk
said,
Evening star., 1947-12-28
March Of Dimes Plans
Completed in Virginia
By the Assoeiofsd Press

RICHMOND, Va, Dec. 27.-Or-
ganization of next months March
of Dimes" campaign for funds to
fight infantile paralysis was marked
complete here today, when Wade
G. McCargo announced that III
local campaign chairmen have ac-
cepted appointments throughout the
State.
Mr.. McCargo, Richmond business
man who is serving as State chair
man OF the drive, said the tenth
annual appeal by the National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
would have special Importance in
Virginia for two reasons.
One is that the Old Dominion
experienced two comparatively light
years for polio in 1916 and 1947, and
can expect an increased number OF
cases next year; the other is that
rising disqualification costs have
drained the treasures of nearly
every local chapter of the founda-
ton in Virginia.