Evening star., 1949-09-02
Denies That Capital Punishment
Is Not a Deterrent for Murder

To the Editor Of The Star:
Again, as in so many cases in the past,
someone has managed to squeeze out few
crocodile tears over the fate of a brutal
killer who was executed recently. I refer to
the letter of Eugene Williams which appeared
in The Star on August 49, 1t was, as usual,
the same trite mixture of distorted Scripture,
Watered down we'll with twisted conception
of justice and humanitarianism.
1t is, Of course, unfortunate that the
execution of Eugene James was not dis
patched with efficiency; and that fact is
worthy of sharp criticism. But obviously
that is not the principal point of irritation
with Mr.. Williams, for he goes on to de-
nounce capital punishment in itself. He
states that past records prove capital pun
ishment to be no deterrent of crime. What
records was Mr.. Williams looking at when he
made that statement? How does he explain
away the fact that Britain's per capita
crime rate is so far below ours since British
courts punish murder with the galoWs in all
but rare cases? How does he explain away
the fact that, when Britain lifted capital
punishment in favor of life imprisonment
the crime rate scared to such an extent that
they were forced to return to capital punish
ment? How does he explain away the fact
that, following every execution, there is
sharp. although temporary. decrease in the
number Of crimes committed? Or what rea-
son can he give for the fact that Fernandez
and Mrs. Beck. the lonely hearts" killers
just convicted. were undaunted and defiant
while waiting to be tried in Michigan courts
which cannot pronounce the death sentence,
but began screaming and protesting when
they were to be tried in New York courts,
where conviction of murder makes the death
sentence mandatory?
Mr.. Williams stated that capital punish
ment unquestionably is unscriptural and
contrary to every New Testament concept of
justice and mercy. 1t would be we'll for him
to examine the Scriptures more thoroughly.
True, God repeatedly promises forgiveness
and salvation to people sincerely sorry for
their sins. But by that He nowhere and in
no sense relieves the government of the re-
sponsibility of Furnishing murder and similar
crimes with death. To wit: "All they that
take the sword shall perish with the sword,
Matt. 1852: But if thou do that which is
evil be afraid, for he beareth not the sword
in vain; for he is the minister of God. a
reVenger to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil, Romans 1884, Whose sheddeth
mans blood. by man shall his blood be
she'd. Gen. 9:6. And again, Acts 5:1-10
tells how God through Peter punished An
anias and Sapphira with instant death be-
cause they had maliciously perpetrated
falsehood. If Mr.. Williams can explain away
these uncompromising commands of God as
we'll as the undeniable evidence lying in the
records of the courts, I should most certainly
be interested in his statements.
Yes, the roots and causes of crime are
deep: deep principally because thousands as
naive as Mr.. Williams cannot face up to
hard facts and therefore continue to voice
the twisted philosophy that the victim gets
death and the murderer gets life. Thousands
of murderers and sadists are paroed from
our institutions every year. The public, will
be protected from such an existent And
potential menace only when this pseudo
intelligentsia element of our population can
be educated to the true facts of civil life.
ROBERT /. HARRINGTON