The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-04-30
Grand Jury Urges Higher Social
Standards

The grand jury, at its sessions IN
Tuesday and Wednesday, not onlv in
vestigated an alleged lewd performance
given at the house of Hope Fire Com
pany, Burlington, but reviewed Inn
moral acts generally in various parts
OF the county, and, in report pre-
sented to Judge Lippincott, on We'd
nesday, in which an appeal is made
for better social life and standards
among the people. The report follows:
To the Honorable William D. Lippin-
colt, Judge.
We, the Grand Jury of the April
term, 1918, desire to submit to your
Honor and to the citizens of the coun-
ty at large the challenge made by the
facts which confronted the Grand Jury
and to mark out that line of action
which the present situation in our
county demands in order to keen
wholesome the social life of our peo-
pie.
In abnormal times, such as these
through which we are passing. II
was to be expected that both the good
and the evil in our human nature
would be abnormally stimulated. The
nigh pressure, the strained condition
OF these war days, it was feared, would
lead men to seek relaxation and relief
IN ways forbidden and unlawful. There
has been evidence enough before this
Grand Jury Of the outcropping of such
immoral tendencies, not enough to
cause serious alarm, yet sufficient to |
serve as a warning and to point to the |
need OF serious and strenuous effort.
individual and collective, to guard
against further development.
In two directions at least the de-
nand has come to safeguard the moral
health OF our communities and to see
70 It that. there shall be no lowering of
Che moral tone of our social life. The
llrst OF these is the demand for great
er care on the part of parents and
guardians and officers of the law for
me moral welfare of our young girls.
Inc grand Jury received the evidence
u several cases of statutory rape. All
me girls were below fifteen years of
age. Ihey We're girls living at home
Win Their parents-not girls living
out or at work in factories. These
;ases We're brought to our attention
,nrough the vigilance of the Prosecu-
or and the assistance of certain
1oluntary social welfare workers who {
lave recently come into our county.
LOO much praise cannot be given to
mes tlreless and energetic women.
.. ne problem, however, demands the K
-aaInIul cooperation of public off {
'l ID In all our communities. Above
III, II cannot be pressed too strongly,
: requires the rigid and most strict
attention of all parents. Ignorant :
md wilful neglect on the part of mar
'nts in these matters is most renre-
lensible. q
The second condition that reouires
and drastic action on The
art of those in authority is That \
reated by the carnival and similar b
held during the mast :
ear, IN some of our river front towns.
ften under the auspices of ouasis,
ublic organizations. Illegal prac-
ices need not be an accompaniment \
such affairs, but several apparently
ave been attended by them. Per- q
ormances, too shocking to describe.
ppealing to the very lowest and yilest \
lements in our human nature. have
the moral sense of orr
and made decent men blush n
or shame. These carnivals and en- III
ertainments have been attended by
legal selling or giving of intoxicant
quors, gambling, open and unabash- I
d, and exhibitions which were a dis 81
onor to womanhood and an insult TO a.
very fine and decent feeling in the
cart of every true man. The Grand
ury believes that it voices the sense Il
I the vast majority of our people. ii
hat such performances must stop. | :,
We cannot afford to allow the fair
anne of our communities, the moral a
bre of our men to be lowered and "
by the lawless acts of few. n
The Grand Jury does, therefore ,-call !.
he attention of all municipal authori-
les and all who are the arms of the v
NV, to exercise to the utmost their in is
ested power to put down with vigor q
nd punish with rigor those who would
hus undermine the moral structure of
ur society. While our boys in the
rmy and the navy are making the
upreme sacrifice for our beloved land
nd for us, it is imperative that we,
Tho are at home, should see that the
res OF purity and goodness are kept
urnlng upon our communal affairs. Z
he finest encouragement we can give
the noble defenders of our Liberty
to do our utmost to make the COM
lunities from which they go worth
ghting for. Not only in the trenches
ut at home, the success of the great l
entures for democracy upon which |
re have embarked, depends upon the
lorale and morals of our people. At
ottom, this war is an affair of char
cter. The nation or nations with the
trongest, purest, noblest manhood
nd womanhood will be victorious.
he dictate of both patriotism and
lorality is that everywhere and al
rays every true man should be alert |
0 destroy those evil influences at
ONE, that will submarine the moral |
tamina of our people.
Respectfully submitted,
COOPER H. PRICKITT,
Foreman.
RICHARD B. ECKMAN,
C1ark |