HUMANITY'S JUSTICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 1, 1 July 1939, Page 23

HUMANITY'S JUSTICE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Why is it necessary to send our exuberant youths to places of detention, moving them out of their special environment into places which curtail their natural proclivities instead of using them to the best advantages? The founders of all great countries have been the people who left their birthplace because they wished for freedom, the freedom from snobbery, fear, cruelty, and so-called ideas which are against charity which is love, the great commandment which Christ preached. We do not overcome an evil by putting it out of sight.

It is a great grief to me to think in this beautiful young country we carry on the eyesores of the older countries. Gaols, hospitals,'and asylums flourish. I ask myself why should they? and the only answer I get is that we as a nation do not practise Christ's Sermon on the Mount. We give sports of all kinds paramount importance in the lives of our young people. It has been proved beyond doubt that without real spirituality no people can be happy and well. People cannot be made good by fear of punishment, example is the greatest deterrent. As the Bible says: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works" and so glorify God who works within us.

It is fear that makes criminals, not poverty. It is not taking persons from their environment but improving it, and it would be far cheaper for competent persons to visit homes of misdemeanants and suggest improvements than to send persons to other places. No doubt it will take longer to find the cause of crime than to punish the effect, but to get a cure the cause must be found, and then the cure is permanent. I should like our country I not to tax our vices, e.g., racing, gambling, alcoholic drink, and tobacco and so proclaim their necessity, but to realise that health is the p-eatest i attribute of well-being and teat can only be attained by 8 hours' work, i 8 hours' recreation, and 8 hours' sleep daily. Then one gets poise, peace, [power, purity, purpose, prosperity, and plenty. We cannot spare people in institutions out of the world of life as our population, is too small to carry on the necessary work, and we r*eed i everyone to do their best for the good of the whole community.—l am, i etc., MRS. JESSIE HOUGHTON PROBYN.