WOMEN'S SOCIETIES.

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 239, 18 May 1915, Page 14

WOMEN'S SOCIETIES.

During Convention a deputation from other women’s societies waited upon the W.C.T.U. Convention. Their aim was to get uni.ed action from all women’s societies on subjects which concern all. Mrs Wells urged all to work for peace and .or such education and settlement that war would be for the future. .She spoke of the necessity of Government owning all places for the manufacture of arms and ammunition. Mrs Lissamon spoke on the care of neglected child-

ren. She urged that when children are boarded out by State, sufficient allowance should be made, and the exploiting of the children’s labour be firmly forbidden. Young children to be sent to Kindergartens. She also urged the establishment of Coitage Homes. Mrs Cunnington spoke strongly and eloquently in favour of the abolition of Capital Punishment. The reasons against Capital Punishment are: (1) Scientific; (2) Social; (3) Christian. (1) Scientific: We should not kill a criminal because, (a) we know too little about him. No chemist gives the constituents of a new subject without careful analysis. We know nothing of the criminals’ antecedents, and to kill him is unscientific, clumsy, inadequate and slapdash. Then (b) we know too much about him. Some criminals are born or inherent criminals. from conception doomed to commit crime. This number is small and will be reduced by civilization. Others are criminals who are made criminals. This class is women’s responsibility. Some are made < riminals by drink traffic, or by neglect. 1 his class of criminals are so made by bad social conditions. Then there are the insane criminals. They are always insane, but show it most when provoked. Have we the right to hang any of these criminals. A human being is most difficult to analyse and comprehend. (2) Social:—Capital Punishment is not a deterrent. Since the Mayfield murderer was hanged, we have had four murders in this Dominion. Is it not better to have a deterrent factor than the death penalty. Capital Punishment is brutalising to the people. Society gets rid of its criminals by Capital Punishment, but it has the hangman, and all his gruesome paraphenalia. Head gaoler of large goal, says, “It makes me sick weeks before and weeks after an execution.” Capital Punishment is suggestive of crime. It stimulates to other crimes of a similar nature. Criminals long to be hanged for the notoriety of it. Capital Punishment is wasteful. It wastes a man. It is irretrievable. (3) Christian: —There is no sin that is unforgivable. Criminals should be forgiven, but not placed back in society, forgiven because he is either irresponsible or wicked. “The more brutal the crime, the greater the demand upon us to forgive.”