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(seq. 161)
[center] The Chicago Daily News
Dec 7, 1931 Return
Youth Needs a Champion, Declares Former Judge
[first column] BY GIFFORD ERNEST,
[left] There is a pressing need for a writer with the pen of a Charles Dickens or that of a Harriet Beecher Stowe to champion the rights of childhood and youth in America today.
So thinks Dr. Miriam Van Waters, director of the juvenile delinquency section of the Harvard law school crime survey, who came to Chicago in the interests of the youth movement as espoused by the Chicago Woman's Club.
There are 27,000 young folk under 21 years of age in American prisons exclusive of federal penitentiaries, she revealed. These young people have been placed there for delinquencies which range all the way from vagabondage to murder. Dr. Van Waters became noted in legal affairs as judge of the Juvenile court of Los Angeles, Cal., and is now completing her work as consultant in juvenile delinquency for the Wickersham commission on law enforcement.
She deplored the tendency to send juveniles to prison before turning to the juvenile courts and other agencies set up to correct and train delinquents. "The whole ponderous machinery of the criminal law is used in the case of first offenders before turning to the more modern, and certianly humane and effective, methods that way be found elsewhere in our social system," she said.
Interested in Boy Slayer.
While in Chicago the former judge interested herself in the case of Russel McWilliams, the 17-year-old slay-
[second column] er of Rockford, Ill., who faces death in the electric chair next Friday. Dr. Van Waters holds that "no thoughtful person believes that executing this youth will tend to deter similar crimes."
"Rather it will have the opposite effect of inspiring them," she said. "We shall never solve the problem of crime by inflicting death penalties. The execution of this boy will soon be forgotten. A careful study of his care would form public attention of the pitfalls of modern civilization that lie in wait for many other children prematurely thrust into the excitement, greed, speed, competition and false values of modern life.
"To put a child to death before he has reached the age of competence in any civil court, before he could sign a civil contract or act in any legal way in business without consent of parent or guardian is utterly unwarrented by any principle of justice.
No Good Accomplished.
"It is the blind act of the old working out of the criminal law based on fear and vengeance. And it will accomplish no practical good. It will merely make people forget the effort they should make toward understanding the delinquent and removing the basic causes of crime.
"It is not too late to bring this case before the enlightened public opinion of the state. The social workers of Illinois and the service organizations should act promptly with a view to changing this boy's sentence to life imprisonment."
(seq. 162)
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Chicago Herald and Examiner
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FINAL
[left] 51st YEAR NO. 179
Registered in U.S. Patent Office
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[center]
FIGHT CHAIR FOR BOY, 17
Storm of Protest Demands Reprieve of Youth Doomed to Die Friday at Joliet
[first column] [left] Shall State Take Life of This Boy, Only 17?
Russell McWilliams, shown above in his cell at the Joliet penitentiary, has been sentenced to die in the electric chair Friday. "It is unthinkable," says Jessie Binford, one of the social reform leaders fighting to save the youth, "that Governor Emmerson will permit the blood of this boy to rest upon the state." Governor Emmerson will give his final decision this morning.
[second column] [center] Governor Decides Fate Today; 100 Hours Left.
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DARROW AIDS
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Act 'Unthinkable,' Says Jessie Binford
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[left] With only about 100 hours to spare before the youngest person ever sentenced to death in Illinois is due to be led to the electric chair in the old Joliet penitentiary, a nation-wide movement to save this life began last night.
From Chicago, from the states of the Atlantic, from the Pacific coast, from humanitarian organizations in every division of the country, came appeals last night to Governor Emmerson to commute to life imprisonment the execution sentence passed on 17-year-old Russell McWilliams of Rockford.
The boy shot and killed a Rockford street car conductor, during a holdup that followed a moonshine spree.
Governor Promises Decision Today.
Governor Emmerson late last night promised the leaders in the fight for the boy's life that he would give a final decision at the executive offices in Springfield at 9 o'clock this morning. Unless that decision is on the side of mercy, Russell will be strapped into the death chair a minute after midnight Thursday.
Governor Emmerson and members of the state board of pardons and paroles already have considered the case of the boy-and have turned down an earlier plea for his life. The governor's agreement to give further attention to the case came after the campaign to save the boy's life attained nation-wide proportions.
Jane Addams Joins Plea for Reprieve.
[right margin] Ill other side
[left] In Chicago the movement was led by Miss Jessie Binford of the Juvenile Protective
(seq. 163)
[left] TWO ***** CHICAGO HERALD AND EXAMINER---A PAPER FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK
Hunger Marchers Carry Demands to Gates of Capital at
[column one] LEADERS BRAND DEATH FOR BOY 'UNTHINKABLE'
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Juvenile Officials "Dumfounded' at Governor's Stand; Youth's Blood on State'
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Association and by Miss Jane Addams of Hull House. Miss Addams appealed to the governor from a sickbed. She has been ill for several weeks.
From Rockford the fight has been directed by Miss Julia Lathrop, internationally known social worker. Clarence Darrow, who has been in the East, started an agitation there in Russell's behalf, which brought into action the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment.
One of the most influential voices added to the appeal was that of Dr. Miriam Van Waters, probably the country's best informed person on the subject of juvenile delinquency. Dr. Van Waters, who for a number of years was head of the juvenile court system of Los Angeles, has been for two years chief consultant on juvenile delinquency to the Wickersham crime commission. She also has been conducting a juvenile crime survey for the Harvard Law School.
AID COMES FROM COAST.
Dr. Van Waters, who was apprised of the boy's case through correspondence with Miss Binford, came to Chicago Friday from the West coast and Saturday visited the Joliet prison with Miss Binford. They spent an hour in Russell's cell, studying him and getting his viewpoint and an idea of the potential values that a future life for him might hold.
Dr. Van Waters was unable to remain in Illinois long enough to make a personal appearance before the governor. Before leaving for the East Saturday night, however, she assured Miss Binford that she would do all in her power to aid in the battle to save the boy.
That Dr. Van Waters made good her promise almost immediately after arriving in Trenton, N. J., last night was indicated by the flood of appeals which came from that city just before midnight in Russell's behalf.
MISS BINFORD PUSHES FIGHT.
Miss Binford visited Rockford yesterday and consulted Miss Lathrop, with whom she has been associated in many social and humane projects. The two women then conferred with B. J. Knight, attorney for the boy.
"Mr. Knight has been serving without pay, as Russell's parents are penniless," Miss Binford told The Herald and Examiner last night. "There have been no funds with which to take an appeal to the Supreme Court. Miss Lathrop and I have agreed to raise the needed money, if the time and opportunity for an appeal are given."
WAIVES JURY TRIAL.
Originally, the necessity for an appeal to the high court had not been considered, as on Knight's advice the boy killer waived a jury and pleaded guilty. Even under the staggering shock of a death sentence from the judge, the boy's defenders had little fear.
"For, of course, we felt sure that the governor would never suffer the stain of such an execution to fall upon Illinois," Miss Binford said. "It was decided that we would concentrate all our effort on the appeal to the governor for a commutation to life imprisonment.
"We were dumbfounded the other day when the governor announced that he would not intervene."
At their conference yesterday
[second column] [center] March on Berlin Will Be by Ballots Only, Says Hitler
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[left] Nazi Leader Confident of Gaining Control of Reich Without Force
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(Copyright, 1931, by Associated Press.)
BERLIN, Dec. 6.-(AP)-Adolf Hitler, chieftain of the National Socialists, said today nobody in his German Fascist movement was dreaming of a march on Berlin.
Instead of a coup d'etat, he indicated his "Nazi" forces intend to seize power by election of members to the Reichstag.
"Some day, maybe very soon, there will be new Reichstag elections," he said. "That will be our 'march on Berlin,' for the overwhelming section of the German people will sweep our candidates into power.
"We need not march on Berlin when we already are sure of the capitulation of this citadel.
"The enimies of Nazi-ism are dying of starvation, politically speaking.
"Wherever elections are held we land on top. Only today at Breslau in the university elections 75 per cent of the votes are National Socialist."
PROPOSALS ON GOLD SECRET.
Asked what he proposed to do about the gold standard in event he seized control of the country, he said:
"Our economic ideas are something we do not propose to uncover now. They are, if you please, patented.
"Let me make this general observation. The question of the gold standard depends much on the attitude of France as the strongest European gold power.
"If France insists on drawing to itself all the gold and to disgorge it only on the basis of holdup political deals, I can well conceive of
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[LEADERS BRAND DEATH FOR BOY 'UNTHINKABLE' story continued] with Mr. Knight, Miss Binford and Miss Lathrop decided that every possible resource in the country should be enlisted in the life-saving cause. And after scores of telegrams had been dispatched and a vast activity set going, the governor was asked to reconsider his ultimatum of death.
Miss Binford said: "It is unthinkable that he will allow the blood of this boy to rest upon the state. He has promised us a final answer tomorrow morning and we feel that that answer can be just one word'Reprieve'."
In her interview with the condemned boy, Dr. Van Waters was much impressed by his underlying qualities of decency and by the conviction that the saving of his life will prove an ultimate benefit to society.
"In all my meetings with juvenile criminals," Dr. Van Waters told Miss Binford, "I never have met a youngster who so genuinely showed the qualities of boyishness. There is nothing vicious about him. Between his type and that of the hardened criminal youth, there is a vast abyss."
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Dog Barks SOS; Saved by Guards
"Hurricane," the terrior mascot of the lake steamer Sheboygan, is true sailor-he can't swim. But he barked an S O S as he was sinking in the Chicago harbor last night and the coast guard came to the rescue.
Hurrican was on the bridge barking in glee when the Sheboygan steamed into the mouth of the river to dock. The boat lurched, and he went overboard. The coast
[third column] [March on Berlin Will Be by Ballots Only, Says Hitler story continued] [center caption] Adolf Hilter
[left] a united front of the remaini [cut off] world to abandon the gold sta [cut off] ard and select some other standa [cut off]
"For Germany this question [cut off] not so important anyway, since [cut off] have but very little gold.
HINTS LAW CHANGES.
There would be many changes [cut off] the laws in event of his gainin [cut off] power, Hitler intimated.
"The Leipsic Supreme Court d[cut off] cided right goes hand in hadn wit[cut off] might," he said, "and whoever ha[cut off] might may decree what's right.
"National socialism will ena[cut off] new laws."
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SOVIET ADMITS PLAN FAILURE
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MOSCOW, Dec. 6.-(AP)-The Com[cut off] munist newspaper Pravda admitte[cut off] today that Russia had failed to fu[cut off] fill it's 1931 program under the five year plan, but predicted the entir[cut off] plan would be more than fulfilled in four years, or by the end of 193[cut off]
Industrial production for the fir[cut off] ten months of 1931 was only 19 per cent over theat of 1930, wherea[cut off] the plan called for a 45 per ce[cut off] increase for the whole year.
Causes for the failure were an[cut off] lyzed in the paper which called up[cut off] the proletariat to mobilize for t[cut off] new five-year plan which begins [cut off] 1933.
"In 1931," the paper said, "Ind[cut off] try had to work under diffic[cut off] conditions and one of the fun[cut off] mental causes of underfulfilling [cut off] plan was the blow last W[cut off] ter by the lagging railway tra[cut off] port."
Blame for lagging industry a[cut off] was attributed to incapability o[cut off] majority of executives to co-o[cut off] nate work with new conditions, [cut off] adequate use of the cost account[cut off] system which cause enorm[cut off] damage to mechanical equipm[cut off] because of incompetent operati[cut off] and the widespread practice [cut off] equal wages for all workers.