Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-23
Ezro Pound, ct al.


! suppose there will be q
great outpouring Of relief
and gratitude towards the
Government now the treason
charges against Ezra Pound
have finally been dropped.
But I believe II to be but a
signal for the real struggle
which should now betin. For
everyone with any sensitivity
for his fellow human beings,
to say nothing OF a person OF
the overpowering rank and
prestige of Ezra Pound. must
face the future, knowing the
existing law can cause a per-
son to be buried in a mental
institution for y years with
out hope of release.
The laws and court prac-
tees on mental cases have
become loose and imprecise.
It is a certainty that IS a
greater awarenesS Of mental
illness comes across the legal
mind. our jailS will be- emp
tied and our mental insti-
tutions filled in their stead.
Does 1t not seem reasonable
TO suggest that some law OF
Limitation be imposed to care
for the person who cannot be
indicted because Of his con-
dition?
There are the two absurd
extremes - Ezra Pound, the
modern Monte Cristo. and
Dallas o. williams. Some
where between these two
cases there is a point where
both. society and the indi-
vidual citizen can rest Sc
cure within the law. Who
can now say what would
happen. If a milkman. for ex-
ample. appealed for legal
generosity?
Perhaps it is timely to sug-
gest now, while the problem
is still minor, that some
definite laws be passed in
the nature OF constitutional
guarantees to guide future
courts. I am not prepared
professionally to say what
would constitute an equitable
law. This is something for
the medical fraternity to
press for with vigor.
For after all, 1t is the
threatened indictment OF DR..
Overholser which brings to
mind the present arrogance
of the courts. Surely a super
intendent of st. ElizabethS
is the one to determine when
his available facilities are
being put TO best use. Surely
this distinguished physician.
indeed all like him who will
be our future wardens. should
retain an absolute control
over the patients they have
in their care. That he was
forced to accept two criminal
cases In his already over
crowded hospital was a direct
infringement on his pro-
fessional judgment, and q
threat to the mental welfare
of all future criminal cases
given into his custody. This
is something no Judge, in
cidentally. would ever toler-
ate on his bench.
1t is certainly easter to
coerce these overworked
doctors with legal violence
than 1t is for the Govern
ment TO provide adequate in
stitutional STATS and facili-
ties. l prefer the latter TO the
former.
Frank X. Dawedeit.
DR.. Winfred Overholser
suffered a grave human in
dignity in his recent encoun-
ter with Judge Holtzoff. DR..
Overholser's refusal to carry
out the court order to admit
two persons to st. Elizabeths
criminally insane division was
predicated upon a waiting list
of 80 patients and a waiting
time of IA months for ade-
quate beds to meet the al
pady overlooking needs Of
this Federal institution. II
his manner of refusal irked
the court, certainly it would
seem that had Judge Holt
zoff weighed the facts care
fully. he might not have re-
quested a contempt citation
against this eminent psychia
triSt.
That new facilities for 375
inmates are under way, and
will be available in about Ia
months, is heartening. Obvi-
ously, for those who are to-
days acute cases, the effort
will have come as too little.
too late" For the society OF
which these unfortunate peo-
pie are an integral part, the