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Show v Timely Topics LAWS AGAINST SUICIDE. The SftV--Llfe league Is considerably worked up over--report" submitted i by Its president. Dr. H. M. Warren of New Tork. -Dr. Warren has found that In the United States durlnjr 1920 there were S171 suicides, the death rate from suicide betnjr about 20 per cent rreater than It was the preceding; year. His report covers caar ranging from a child of S to a centenarian of 10S and shows, among other interesting things, .hat suicide among women Is Increasing alarmingly. The league thinks something ought to be done right away. It has already gone on record In favor of "uniform legislation." No doubt rules and regulations will work. We need to cite only two instances as proof. A few years ago a man jumped into the Chicago river to drown himself. A policeman saw him, attracted his attention by shouting, then pointed a gun at him and told him to get out or he would shoot. The man got out Any one who has been In the Masonic temple In Chicago knows how effective the big nets are across the inner light' well of the building. They keep suicidally Inclined persons from Jumping ten to twenty stories to the main floor below and making public nuisances of themselves. The penalty for being found guilty of an attempt at suicide should be heavy enough to discourage any further attempt For the first offense from five to fifteen fif-teen years In the state sanitarium might be adequate. With relief from business and family rares, regular exercise, exer-cise, appetising food, cheerful surroundings and a course of lectures by a nationally recognised uplift expert few offenders would require the maximum sentence. We offer these suggstions because we believe that the work of the Save-a-Life league lies in prevention measures only. We doubt If a confirmed suicids can be made amenable to legislative control. trsnd Rapid Press. |