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THE PUBLIC FORUM
WHY IS A CRIMINAL? I have
just finished reading your admirable
editorial in The Day Book of Oct 26
on "Preventing Criminals." The sub
ject is a much-discussed one, but so
interesting and so comparatively new
that it has not been worn at all
threadbare.
Prom time immemorial the world
in its treatment of the criminal has
dealt almost entirely with effect and
neglected cause. A man. commits a
crime, is apprehended, tried, found
gHilty and sentenced to jail not as
punishment, because society does not
care how long or earnestly he re
pents his crime, but he is incarcerat
ed simply and solely that society may
for a term of years be protected from
further nefarious depredations to
ward it on his part And in order that
they may be effected, society spends
millions of dollars in the establish
ment and' maintenance of a vast
penal system.
Until of late years no one thought
that the scrutiny of a .man's heredity
and environment might reveal a field
where a little effort, judiciously ap
plied, might bring about astonishing
results. For instance, how many lay
men are fully cognizant of the pro
foundly injurious effect of alcohol,
mentally, morally and physically, not
only on the individual, but on suc
ceeding generations? It is readily
understood, in a general way, that
environment plays a large part in
moulding life, but how many people
correctly appreciate the far-reaching
effect that a squalid tenement house
scant and inferior food, poor clothing,
long and hard working hours under
outrageous conditions, small wages,
and little recreation have not only
on the individual, but on the genera
tions to follow? How far is it under
stood that the legalized haunts of the
social evil are not necessary play
grounds for red-blooded men, but
foul graveyards of ruined lives, brok
en vows and 'blasted hopes, where
bestiality is exalted and goodness and
purity are trampled in the stinking
muck of filthy debauchery?
There are other serious menaces to
society, but I have named what I re
gard as the foremost "three booze,
harmful environment and vice. And
I have merely mentioned these with
reference to their casual connection
with criminality. There are, or
course, certain exceedingly praise
worthy remedial measures which deal
with the effect of these things, but I
am dealing with the other end of the
proposition.
Put the lid on booze, and clamp it
down honestly and efficiently; wipe
out tenement houses, abolish sweat
shops, provide free recreation cen
ters, pull with organized labor I say
"organized labor" because in union
there is strength for a decent living
wage for workers and decent work
ing conditions; clean out the redlight
districts, where feeble-minded girl
hood which cannot take care of itself
is exploited and where the seeds of
dread disease flourish, to blight men
tally and physically, in spite of the
wonderful discoveries of modern
science, the lives of innocent women
and children unto the thirdandfourth
generations; and, finally, pass a sen
sible eugenic law to guard against
the hit-or-miss mating of mental and
physical defectives, and our criminal
courts, jails and criminal insane asy
lums will go out of business. Mau-q
rice J. Nathanson, 2041 DeKalb. fc
MANDEL'S AND THE TRIB.
Where does the "World's Greatest
Newspaper," The Tribune, stand? Ai
public street has for some sinister
purpose been aptly termed "a private Ai
driveway." This "private driveway"
is none other than Holden ct and is
so labelled upon our city. map. Per
haps this can be better understood
when one is familiar with the facts
and motives for renaming this par-";
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a gianng neaanne in anocner ol.
out great (?) newspapers might fur-o'
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