"Hero worship" (manuscript essay about Al Capone, ca. 1930)

Single sheet, 11 x 8.5 inches, with creasing from being folded and faded/rubbed pencil obscuring a few words on the verso. 1.5-page essay about American youth's fixation on Al Capone as a "hero" figure. With some skipped-over words and inconsistencies, the unnamed author speculates on the fixation of young people on him as a romantic figure despite being a murderer. Part is written in the past tense, but the statement that Capone had never been to jail places the essay before his conviction for tax fraud in 1931.

It's unclear whether it is actually an older person writing; or merely assuming an authoritative voice being assumed by a student. We presumed the latter, but the detail about previous generations betting excited "over a mishap in religion, or some bishop," seems pretty authentic. Transcription below.

Hero Worship

The young people of today have the tendency to find their [skipped word, probably "heroes"] and their villains—or their hero-villains. They generally find them in newsreels rather than in drama, in newspapers rather than in fiction. The youth of to-day sit up all night and discussing ethical questions, but their point of departure is life. No one could possibly, in these days, get excited, as an earlier generation did, over a mishap in religion, or some bishop. They find their romance, instead in gangsters like Al Capone.

Al Capone, indeed, was one of the central figures of our time. In my vision, Capone had been only a factor in American government, a [giant] object against the evil workings of prohibition, a black spot in Chicago. You know, he was interesting, and there were many who found him romantic. During our age, it was the young folks who believed him romantic.

When you ask intelligent young people just what they find romantic in this “king of gunmen” they have some difficulty in answering. Sometimes they say they do not find him romantic – only interesting. This class of people does not find Al Capone a good citizen. They merely find him more interesting than most good citizens. It is easily seen that young people prefer, in real life, villains to hypocrites. They can do without villains if they must; what they cannot do without is "the real hero."

The main thing about Capone that makes him interesting is the fact that he never served time in any jail. Many were the times he was brought before the police headquarters. He would ask what they “have on him” and the answer was “nothing” the murders of late years, which were attributed to him have all been done while he was one thousand miles away.

It is true the police “have” nothing on Al Capone; it is true there are no notches on Capone‘s private gun. If he were really believed to be as innocuous as he says, he is, no one would be interested

(2)
in him. My conception of Capone is of one who presses the button, and then his henchmen, who are miles away, do the dirty work. The American people like to see someone who can do such things. They compare him with the president who can press button to have the army at hand. The difference is that when Capone presses a button some dozen or so [interfering?] Americans are generally killed.

To our young people, Capone lacks the color of Jesse James. But somehow or other Capone fills their wants. These people see him as a successor to Robin Hood or to someone the police want and cannot get. It’s true many people claimed he was unfairly treated, and therefore to side with him in his trial. When they side with a [something something] killer, a big money man, and anything else low enough for him; you will [?] How easily it is for our younger Americans to claim such a villain as a hero.