FRANCE: Euthanasia

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Parisian Novelist Francois Mauriac: "It is lucky the jury was chosen among people not given to the habit of reflection. For myself, it would have taken me about a year to make up my mind."

U. S. Senator Hiram Johnson: "The principle of killing people to put them out of their misery does not appeal to me."

Manhattan Magistrate Jean Norris: "Of course I can appreciate the state of mind at the time, but that does not justify him in any way."

Lawyer George Gordon Battle: "To allow a private individual, without any judicial investigation, to put another person to death is contrary to all our ideas of jurisprudence and is highly dangerous."

Psychiatrist Abraham Arden Brill (Freud-follower): "I am heartily opposed to the killing of this woman. . . . Society is based on repression, and the most important repression is the command 'Thou shalt not kill.'"

U. S. Naturalist William Beebe: "That man was absolutely justified in what he did. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever. I'd have done the same thing myself without any thought of the laws involved. . . . Of course I don't hold human life in as much esteem as many people and I don't think my opinion is worth much, I've been out among the savages too much.

"I had a similar case once myself. Two Indians with me in British Guiana when we were about five days by canoe from anywhere, had their legs crushed and most certainly would have died within two days. I put them out of their suffering with morphine and was thanked by the other Indians in my party. . . . As to whether I intentionally killed them, that is something I don't care to discuss. I should rather let people draw their own conclusions."