Crime in America

NZ Truth, Issue 882, 21 October 1922, Page 1

Crime m America

That crime is rampant to-day m the United States is clear enough from the cables, but it is brought home more forcibly to even the most casual reader of American papers. There were 9500 homicides m , the country last year. Pistols figured m 90 per cent, of them. Nearly- 85,000 American citizens have met death during the last decade by poison, revolver, knife or some other . unlawful or deadly weapon. Burglaries m ten years have increased 1200 fold- The United States is the most lawless civilised nation m the world, with conditions growing worse instead of better. These statements and a lot more are contained m a report drawn up by the special j committee on law enforcement of the American Bar , Association, which met m San Francisco last month. The report was read before the convention by "William B. Swaney; chairman of the committee. Disregard of the law and the rights of the public by supposedly law-abiding citizens is declared to be one 'of the outstanding obstacles to criminal law enforcement. Strong recommendation is made for the banning of pistols except for official use. In this respect the report says: We' recommend that the manufacture and sale bC pistols ' and ammunition shall be absolutely prohibited save as such manufacture shall be necessary for governmental and official use' und,er proper legal regulation and control. The present parole system comes m for attack from the lawyers as follows: We find that the parole and probation laws, as administered, very generally fail to accomplish the' purposes for which the laws were designed, and .weaken the administration of criminal justice/ We recommend that first offenders and first offenders. only, be eligible for probation. Among other things -recommended m the report as, a check to the spread of crime are the following: That but one appeal from judgment of conviction m the trial court ' be permitted. • That first offenders be segregated from veteran criminalsThat glaring abuses m the matter of bail,, both. in amounts imposed and sufficiency of security offered, be eliminated through legislation. That / stern laws against lynching and mob violence enacted and enforced. Tliat more stringent laws limiting and controlling immigration be enacted. That the worthy poor be accorded able, courageous and loyal advocates m the courts. That legislation be enacted limiting the time Which Judges or courts may hold under advisement dilatory motions made m .criminal cases. The blessings (?) of Prohibition have not prevented America from becoming "the most lawless civilised nation iri the world," according to this responsible body of lawyers. And conditions are growing 1 worse, they declare.

When the Armenian relief scheme came along, A KINDLY SAVANT who should be foremost """ m Palmerston North but J. H. Stevens? When the war was raging avid patriotic funds were being garnered, who worked harder m the harvesting than J. H. Stevens? No one. He had two sons m the slouch hats of the Expeditionary' Force, too. £30,000 was raised m the largest inland town during the early stages of the war, arid J. H. was largely responsible for the collection of* this huge sum. Since retiring from an inspector's job m the Postal Department some ten years ago the kindly old man has found vent for his abounding energy m such works, and m all manner of small local activities. The Philosophical Society, the Lunch Club, and the Y.M. all know him well, and an affectionate regard is mutual. Yet his brain knows no rest, and he dips exhaustively m his own private library, a literary savant who takes all knowledge as his province. The Government of the-coun-try ( worries him not a little,- and, wielding a facile /pen, his, Contributions to the daily press speak always of the close observer and kindly philosopher. For some time ; he was an ardent bowler — all -men past middle age are m Palmerston — but his declining physical strength failed to keep pace with his unfailing high-pressure of energy, and walking became possible only with the aid of a couple of sticks. That failed to keep him to his garden, and he overcame the difficulty by the purchase of a lady's bicycle on which the absence of a bar occasioned no moaning at the crossing. By the way, he has" a vast store of Maori folk lore -at his finger tips.and one of.his.occupations very recently was the compilation of a booklet containing a thousand and one suitable Maori names for streets, each with its English significance. If you want to know why Te Kooti fought m . the battle of Kaiwarra, and how he got on, ask J.H. Captain John Strachan, an old shipping identity, one of AN ISLAND the pioneers of the ADVENTURER Island trade and well-known to all who go down to the sea m ships, died ay few days ago at Sydney, at the age qt 77 years. Born at Aberdeen, he ficst came out to Australasian waters m 1-872 as second mate of : the old brig Rita, and later was for many years manager of the Anglo-Australasian Guano Company, m the Coral Sea. Returning to Australia, he for many years traded out of Sydney to the islands m the Northern Pacific, and also New Guinea, his last' vessel being the ketch Envy. A daring and capable navigator, he sailed his 60-ton ketch into comparatively unknown waters m the Pacific, and altogether had a most adventurous career. On one occasion, while m the Coral Sea, he was blown out to sea from Bird Island, and was -without food and water for five days and nights. On another voyage, coming down the Queensland coast m the Envy, he ran into a terrific hurricane, 'it was. the same storm that wrecked a fleet of steamers m. Bow en. The Envy was given up as lost, but, being skilfully manoeuvred on the edge of the big storm, she turned up safely, none the worse for her exciting experience. Captain Strachan put into Brisbane later, and while m port there had a dispute m pre-war days with the captain of the German patrol steamer Sees-

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