Life — February 26, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ZS Att bil WZ: At WZ WW Lire’s Question Contest Announcing the Winning Answer to Question Number One: “What is the Worst Law in the United States?”’ ‘s to Question Number been sifted, sorted and results are set forth “What is the Worst Law in the Un nited States?” exerted a stimulat- ing effect on our readers, and produced dous varicty of opinions. Numerically, the Eighteenth Amend ment led asa subject for discussion, but the Divorce Laws, the Blue Laws and the Child Labor Laws were not far behind it. The laws of gravitation, supply and demand, and average also d some hard knocks; mother-in- and out-law were frequently cited. As meron local acts and ordinances ty given critical atte: ntion—parti icu- larly those born and nurtured in the states of Kansas and California, We regret that we have not space to publish more of the answers in this Contest, as they form an extraordinarily interesting reflection of public opinion. The Judges, after reading the thousands of manuscripts submitted, have come to the definite conclusion that laws are not popular, The following answers receive Honorable Mention, and their authors are therefore candidates for the major ‘s to be awarded at the conclusion his Contest: From a Doctor HE Volstead Law, of course. It has put a premium on hypocrisy, demoral- ized our young people, set the causc of temperance back a hundred years, cost the country millions in revenue, enriched criminals, made criminals by thousands, inflicted untold physical injury through consumption of bad liquors—worst of all, it has caused an almost universal con- tempt for law. Financially, physically, morally, been an unmitigated curse. H duced any compensating good ? Total abstainers—a dwindling tribe— are, of course, not affected. The rich are not affected; they are above the law. They will always obtain their liquors, of the quality they demand, at a price. Those not rich who will drink and who will have good liquor stand to be ruined financially. Those not rich who will drink and are less particular as to quality stand to be ruined physically. it has it pro- | Tue Prize or $50.00 is AWARDED TO: Mrs. F, A. Brooks 515 San Luis Rd., Berkeley, Calif. For the following answe: ONGRESS power to shall have the declare war.” Why Congress? Let us change this inane law so that Congress can perform prop- erly cn the vaudeville stage with- out involving the simple audience. Of course, their show wouldn't be at all entertaining if we didn’t. give them a few billion dollars every year to set up the stage and then to investigate the scenery and then to investigate the actors and then let the villains free when they bite back. But to give such a group of per- formers the power to burn up the theatre with us in it is slightly beyond what calls for! our admission fee Boys and girls are in grave danger of being ruined morally. Physicians and their patients are ham- pered by idiotic and impertinent restric- tions. Crimi Prohibition agents, hijackers, ef id genus and happy. No law ever accomplished so much evil in so short a time. A. F. Van Bibber, M. D., Bel Air, Md, (hootleggers, moonshiners, omne) are ric Unwritten HE w of Average, when drawing to an inside straight. William Cowles Gaither, wton, N.C The First Law HE worst law is the first law, and as the old must give place to the new, may Mother Nature alter her Decree as recorded in Book 1, Page 1, Statute 1, of the Natural Laws of these United States, and thereby make it possible that men shall take their turn at produci g and nurturing the future lawgivers. Then shall I say: “With a great son obtained I this freedom.” Mrs. Frank Lee Ritten, General Delivery, Asheville, N. C. Capital Punishment DEATH penalty for crime is the worst law in the United States, Criminals are only the product of the “Civilization” that rears them, id Society is directly responsible for then mentally, physically, and spiritually. Legal execution is but a. cowardly way of “passing the buck.” Having trained up a man in the way he should no! go, we, instead of applying corrective measures, coupled with brotherly love and kindness when he goes wrong, forth- with “bump him off,” as if to say, “He's too rough for us; let those guys on the other side see if they can handle his Legal killing is no less murder because it is done in a collective sense, and we all bear our pro-rata share of murder guilt under the Divine Law, The taking of human life is a prerogative that be longs to God alone, and the injunction, “Thou shalt not kill,” is as applicabl to the mob as to the individual H. P. Cash, 27 Gloria Ave., Winston-Salem, N. C. Probably Not HE worst law in the United States is the Volstead Act because it or its influence is directly conducive to the de struction of those inalienable rights: life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 777.767 other readers of Lire, desirot like myself, of earning pin money, elaborate upon these reasons more neat more logically; but shall they have more? Faith W. Metcalf, Sharon Grade Road, Coraopolis, Pa. Next Week—Announcement of winning answer and honorable mentions for Ques tion Number Two: “Why is the Ku Klux Klan?” Contestants are urged to mail their answers to cach question as early as possible. comicbooks.com