ROBBERY AND VIOLENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 130, 4 June 1934, Page 6

ROBBERY AND VIOLENCE

Sir, —Your correspondent, “P.F.B. ” in agreeing with Mr Aitken, only shows that ho too—if he had his way—would bring the 17th. century punishment our present age. I do not doubt . P.F.B.’s” sincerity. But his sincerity can oaly be based upon his knowledge of the subject, and his knowledge of the subject is rather ancient. If he has studied the writings of the modern masters of psychology and criminology, he would know that crimes are largely, if not wholly, influenced by the environment in which the crime-doers live. This includes every kind of crime. Chicago and Sydney are better policed than our country places and yet crimes arc more frequent in the two above cities than they are‘in our country places. Why? Because of different environment. In large cities there is nothing free, water, heating, healing, yes even playgrounds and sunshine must be paid for, and when people are out of work it is a ease of rob to live or starve to death. If “J.F.B. ’ was confronted with the above alternatives what would he do? Would he starve? Maybe. To say that our youths have jobs is to talk sheer nonsense. Is “J.F.8.” ignora: . of the fact that there are thousands of fathers who cannot get a job. So how can there be good jobs and homes for our youth? If everyone had plenty to do and well paid for their work there would be no robbery. Science tells us that if a man—having a chance to work, but prefers to steal—such a man does not need punishment. He needs a visit to a health specialist, psycho-analyst, or psychopathic sanitarium. “J.F.8.” is wrong in saying that wo honest people should be protected from these cold-blooded criminals. The correct term was: Let the police protect “the haves” against “havenots. ” He here infers that everyone who does not have to stealhaving accumulated enough of worldly goods honestly or otherwise—is honest and that the less fortunate ones who are on the rocks are dishonest. Science tells us that we are all criminals at heart; and it further states that this is the natural instinct commonly known as “self-preservation of species.” To give your correspondent proof of this, let me assume the following: Suppose that “J.F.8.” was being threatened with a foreclosure on his house property valued at £lo.ooo—and which by the way represented his life’s earnings—for a debt of £5OOO which was incurred in business loss, due to tho present financial crisis and over .which “J.F.8.” had no control whatsoever; let us further suppose that “J.F.8.” by some freak of nature could, by the power of his thought transfer £5OOO from tho vaults of the Bank of New Zealand (where the said £5OOO is lying idle) to his own chest at home; assuming, of course, that there does not exist the slightest chance of detection. What would “J.F.8.” do in such a case? Would he lose his house? I shall leave the answer to this to your readers. To stop crimes punishment is of no value. The cause lies further back than that. We must approach the subject from the logical and methodical avenue. We must alter our environment. We can do it. Science has given us super-abundance of goods. Let us use our reasoning, and distribute this vast store of goods and service intelligently. The word crime would then be just an unpleasant memory. It would disappear from our midst just like infectious fevers (who used to kill off one-third of people), have vanished before hygiene and sanitation.—l am, etc.. “20th. CENTURY.”