WAR-MADE CRIMINALS

Evening Star, Issue 17086, 3 July 1919, Page 3

WAR-MADE CRIMINALS

Wiii" is responsible _ for increasing the amount of crime in. Britain and for clmnfrin<» the typo of criminal, said ■Sir 3. T evil Macready,* Chief Commissioner of the London Metropolian Police, in an interview rocentlv. . Freedom from the restraint of ordinary law in battle, lie pointed out, lowered man's respect for and fear of that institution, with the result that an increase of crime invariably followed -war. In the present instance there was a big rise in the. number of robberies, and the robber of to-day, grown callous after four years' experience of killing, was indifferent alike to the taking of life and to his own pergonal safety. "In pre-war daya, y he said, "if a burglar was met on the stairs by a householder in his pyjamas, his first thought was to escape; but to-day, ainder similar circumstances, tho thief would probably resort to violence, and, if necessary, to murder." Sir Xevil expressed the opinion that, another result of,the war would be an increase in the number of women murders. Before the war, he said, when ■& man quarrelled with, his wife, or the woman helived with, he would "just dip her under the car,'' and everything would be all right again the next day. " Put iww,_ after four years of life-talking, he would Hi her over 'the 'head with \an iron, bar or anything that happened to be haairiy, and there would be no next day for her."