THE DEATH PENALTY

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21050, 29 December 1933, Page 6

THE DEATH PENALTY

TO Till". F.DITOII OK TUB I'BE.SS. gi r _If I have in my previous letters on this subject devoted some attention to Mr Colonna, as he complains I did, let me assure him it was wholly on account of his disconnected 10marks on this important subject. For the subject is important, and Mr Colonna's importance is derived liom it I refuse again to enter .nto Mi Colonna's realm of imagination _ or nightmare in his speculations as the souls of murder rs. T< i death penalty takes 110 cognisance of such speculations. It regards the murderer as a man who has proved himself a menace to the lives of his follows, and proceeds to remove him i.eyond the possibility of continuing to be a menace. I am not convinced by Mr Colonna'.* laboured explanation of what, he meant bv saying that the removal of the worst features of capital punishment reduced its value as a deterrent. That might well enough bo held as an argument that to give it greater deterrent force barbarous features should be restored; but only such peculiar reasoning as Mr Colonna delights in would found an argument 011 it that the biggest deterrent from the crime of murder would be to give it the force only of a reproachful remonstrance. As for Mr Colonna's remarks 011 the churches, tne fact remains that he and other criticis of his kind have used the discussion of this question to denounce the Christian Church and Christianity. I again affirm that such critics who are Christian ought to address their criticism from within their churches. Those who are not are simply impertinent in offering such criticism at all. I did not say to which class Mr Colonna belongs. I do not know. I am not going to enter into any theological discussion as to Christ's teaching on this qvr lion. I am not qualified for such a task, and I know it. Neither is Mr Colonna qualified—but he does not know it apparently. My critic's irrelevant .mind exhibits its penchant by comparing Magdalene with a murderer. I am not going to waste time over such foolishness. And I reply to the question with which he ends his letter by another—Will he, without ambiguity or circumlocution, " v fer me to any saying of Christ's which can ie construed as a commandment from Him that the old Mosaic ia\v in regard to murder and its punishment should be for ever abrogated and capital punishment should be regarded, as M- Colonna regards it, as a greater crime than the murder it is intended to comoat and repress.—Yours, etc., PHOENIX. December 27, 1933.