Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-31
ATTORNEY GENERAL DISCUSSES
LAW ENFORCEMENT IN MEN,
ORAL pAY ADDRESS.
UNWILLING. TO VIOLATE
OATH FOR POLITICAL GAIN
piseussss Civil Liberty and Law and
Declares Men Who Advise and En-.
courage Law Violation Are Unpa.
triotie and Not Good Citizens--An.
swsrs Critics Of Enforcement.

Nevada, May S1.--Attorney General
\ II. NJ. Havner. in a Memorial day adj
dress at Nevada, yesterday made sonic
pointed references to the subject Of
law enforcement, and indirectly an
swered several Of the criticisms which
have been directed against him be-
cause Of his blue law" crusade.
He declared that he was unwilling
to purchase G political future thru vio-
lation Of his oath Of office, and further
stated that the opposition to law en-
forcement was based supon purely sell
fish desires for individual license.
1T will not be possible for all OF us
10 respond to our country's call, but
there will be left for those who remain
ut home, work. which, while it may
not require Of them their lives, will re-
Quire OF them courage in the perform
ance OF their duty" said Mr.. Havner
There is devolving upon us at this
time the responsibility Of doing our
, full duty as; citizens OF the common
wealth in which we live.
we talk at this time OF liberty and
patriotism. We have come by reason
Of our reckless method Of living. to
feel that liberty, means the unre-
strained action OF men. Many men
have come to feel that liberty means
the unrestrained will Of the individual.
They forget that like these men Of 81
and .65, and like the 11,sn es 'as and
like these young men who must go
forth to wage this war at the present
SonriHro
that they must make some surrender
of their own selfish aims in order that
they may be good citizens.
1T has been said that civil liberty
is the greatest good to the greatest
number of people.
Civil Liberty.
Another definition is that civil lib
erty is the right to act without inter-
ference within the limits of the law.
Yet in this day and age we have come
to the point where men do things
which their fathers would have depre-
Gated, and then draw about themselves
flimsy Gordon Of sophlstry. and talk
about the advance OF humanity and
liberal thought, when It is nothing af-
ter all but Q preference for individual
license.
The difficulty with men today Is
that they are willing to be good citi-
zens just SO long as they are not will
ing to make any sacrifice as to the
things which they, az individuals,
choose to do. They are not willing to
make any sacrifice or any surrender
OF their own selfish wishes. The spirit
OF liberty Ii not a. many people ina
CINE jealousy Of our own particular
rights. but 1t Is respect for the rights
OF others and an unwillingness that
any one, whether high or low, should
be wronged or trampled UNDER foot.
What Is liberty? Is liberty unre-
strained license? II 1t is, then the
French revolution was liberty
Liberty and Law.
Liberty. IN It's true sense, is the
right to act without interference with
in the limits Of the law. There can
be no true liberty In the fullest sense
Of that term without there is will
ingness on the part Of the people to
be governed to respect the rights Of
others and the authority OF the law
What we need in the state Of Iowa
today. what We need in this nation to-
day, Is not more law. but better en-
forcement OF the existing laws. It Is
we'll for us to notice that there is no
more important matter than that Of
law enforcement.
Show me community where the
law Is poorly enforced and I will show
you community low in its standard
Of morals. The two are inseparably
connected, for II man is reared in a
community where the law is enforced,
his respect for the law will be in
creased and he will observe the law in
the proportion that this respect exists.
ION the other had. IL his surround
ings are among offenders of the law,
and IL he daily sees attractions Of 1t
for which no man is called to account,
naturally his respect for the law is
lessened and with this comes a low
standard Of morals and low standard
OF citizenship.
Law Must 30 Enforced.
1T is OF vital interest to every COM
munity from monetary standpoint to
see that the law is enforced. BY the
law and thru the law our property Is
protected and our rights are main
tanned Without the law we have
neither protection Of property nor pro-
lection Of our personal rights. There
fore It behooves man from financial
standpoint to see and know that the
laws in the community In which he
lives are rigidly enforced.
We have come to the point where
many men fsel that when they are
chosen - an Office, they are chosen
for tho purpose Of giving them an OPP
portunity Of receiving something from
tho public treasury. They fail to recog-
nize the fact that public office Is a
public trust and that q man in the dis
charge Of his official duty must dis
charge It with that thought in view II
he h to do his duty toward the con-
atituency which he Is to serve.
Politics W. Duty.
1T has been said to me In connection
with the program Of law enforcement
In this state that no man can be elect
ed to = political office who Is not will
ing to forget his duty and the obliga-
ton Of his oath of Office. say to you
II that Is the price Of political prefer
ment In the state OF Iowa, refuse to
pay the price.
This same distinguished gentleman
said that this was no time for the mat
ter Of law enforcement, and that the
man who headed q campaign OF law
enforcement In this state at this time
was stirring up dissensions and was
not patriotic. wonder what he thinks
4 about the position OF tho man vioiat-
Ing the law?
'iHe said nothing about his patriot
y Ism. Tf16 truth Is that this man Thc