CAUSES OF CRIME WAVE

Shannon News, 14 May 1926, Page 4

CAUSES OF CRIME WAVE

AMERICA'S FLIGHT

The unprecedented increase of crime in the United States 'since the war is the cause of much disquietude (writes an 'Argus' correspondent). Is'ever before has so much been writ- . ten regarding crime- never have so many committees of investigation been at work on the problem. What makes its solution especially difficult is the fact that high -Federal and ate officials are charged with working hand in hand with criminals Of the lowest order, chielly in connection with violations, of .the. Prohibition law. Chicago has declared .herself unable to cope with her crime wave, and has appealed to the Senate to make an inquiry into her "ring"''of criminals, on the ground- that many, of the leaders; are aliens, as-well as being guilty of. violating the law. The •petition submitted to the ; Senate states: —"For -the. last four years, there has been growing up in this . community a reign of lawlessness and terror. The people find themselves helpless to combat and change this, condition. There has been for a long time a colony of unnaturalised * ptfsons who liaye formed a super-• government bf their own, and who levy tribute upon citizens ' and enforce collection 'by terrorizing, kidnapping, and assassination. Many of these aliens have become fabulously i rich as rum-ruriners and boot-leggers ! working in collusion with police and I other officials.' .* . . ■'.' The Gennas (notorious . 'gansters') and their friends and associates, were in the closest relationship and companionship' with the State's attorney and his officers. '.They gave him an immense banquet, at which he' made the principal speech. They are brewing, distributing, and selling beer under police protection." Five breweries are mentioned as maintained by' this coalition.:of,'politicians,, public officials, and criminals. Commissions Make Inquiries. The Senate; however/ .declined to act upon the petition, pn the ground that the suppression of crime is, a municipal or State function, and not a Federal one. Senator King, of Utah who spoke for the Senatorial Com-, rnitteo, said: "You should take this message back to the people of Chicago and Illinois. They must clean their own house, and not ask the Federal Government;to do so. It is the fauM? of the decent people of Chicago and Illinois if they do .not have a decent. Government." Public sentiment generally is hi'-accord with the committee's decision, as it is felt that Congress,, should interfere as little as possible with matlters under State jurisdiction. Crime in , many other States has assumed lamentahle proportions. Governor Smith, of New :York, has recommended the creation of a State Crime Commission, which will not merely look into the' shortcomings of the penal code, but also the whole question of State prisons, parole, and probation systems, and even capital punishment. Similar inquiries are being asked for or carried on in Missouri, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Michigan. The Commissions' ■will co-opera*te and benefit by one another's findings. How Criminals ' are Made.

The cynically-minded, however, have remarked, that American- Commissions are as numerous as criminals and that most of the members inr ,vestigating the causes of,; crrtne are hardly of the type to grasp the fundamental problems involved or to indicate remedies that are more than palliatives. The questions which ultimately must be. answered are such as these:—Why has the United States so. large a potential criminal class? Why do Americans resort to homicide with.eight or ten times the frequency of people of other civilised nations ? What is. the explanation of the ruthlessness of crimes committed in the United^ States? From the vast amount of information gathered by investigators of, a, more- competent nature- I—any 1 —any many noted jurists, such as Mr. C. E. Hughes ■ and Mr. Elihu Hoot, both former Secretaries of State, have, interested themselves in j the question—ithe crime problems is ! seen to have sonic of the following t ramilications: —(I) The war "psychosis." A knowledge of the use of arms. (2) The social tr'Ond. The "get-rich-quick" spirit instilled by rapid industrial growth and easy material prosperity. (3) The. subversion of aspirations to greater liberty. (4) The swift growth of urban populations with the increase , in artificial ways of living. The "speed" and "jazz" era. (s)' Undigested population; Immigration -and aliens. (6) The . criminally-minded. Crime as a problem of' medicine' and psychiatry. (7) The hjgal system. The slow process of the law, inadequate punishment, lack of corrective penalisation. (S) The failure of education. The home is not contributing its lesson of beneficial moral restraint, the school is concentrating upon professional training; the church is no longer a predominating force. (9) The unique attempt to enforce a sumptuary law upon a whole nation —Prohibition. (10) The lack of a traditional respect for the law. The older countries of the world have' learned the lesson of "social imicability."