Easy Death

In an attempt to take an informal poll on the question of easy death, the Sunday Forum of the Akron, Ohio Beacon Journal last month published a melancholy letter signed "Lonely Man." The letter was headed: Would You Kill Yourself If You Had An Incurable Illness?

". . . All I want," wrote Lonely Man, "is advice. ... I am 58 years old . . . out of work . . . have an illness that I believe to be incurable. . . . Those of you who have knife-edge pains shooting through you continually, who are unable to eat regularly, who cannot take walks or go to the shows, will understand my plight. . . . Suicide would be preferable to my present lot. . . . What shall I do?"

Immediately letters of advice began pouring into the Beacon Journal's office. Last week Sunday Editor B. E. Maidenburg announced that the total to date was 450. Advice.

>55% told Lonely Man to find consolation in religion.

>33% told him to blame "our system of government" for his plight.

>Only 12% suggested death as a way out. Most of these callously told Lonely Man to shoot himself or jump off North Hill viaduct (favorite local suicide spot).

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