The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-11
MAKE OBSERVANCE AND NOT
PUNISHMENT THE CHIEF END


Within recent months the hue and cry that has gone up
from all parts of the country from word Of mouth and the
printed page has been for law enforcement,
The congress has been appealed to for the enacton of laws
ito curb the prohteer, the enemy within the gates and every devil
E1sh system that misdrected genius can contrive to dupe the
public and deceive ones fellow man.
The courts have been urged to give speedy trial to offend
Iers, and juries urged to impose a penalty commensurate with the
crime committed,
Local committees have been formed to bring the rent prof
fieer into disrepute, and to deal with persons whose business 1t
lis to fleece the guileless.
Troops have been rushed to centers of disorder to quel
outbreaks Of various natures, and stand guard until the passions
8of men subside.
What this country needs-and this community is not
exeepted-is not for less to be said about law enforcement, but
for more to be said about law Observance,
When the historian of the future comes to delve into the
shadow past and classify the species that inhabited the earth
jim this period he will soemnly record in the classics that VIZ
lived in the jazz age.
Perhaps the critics will disagree, but il the judgment Of the
average mind is accepted this jazz stuff IS as representative OF
The spirit Of the age as were the epics Of old OF the period III
(which they were composed, y
And Il those notes indicate anything II is disorder, con,
fusion and destruction. The value OF an automobile is based
upon its speed the merit of a band depends upon the variety Of
tn pans, slapstcks and c%owbellsj the grace Of a dancer Is
esteemed according to suggestiveness OF the contortions
The world is on the verge OF losing its moral equiliDrium
A few years ago there grew up a doctrine that local sell.
governments was the highest order-o t aehievenenl, NewspSpne =
preached the doctrine Ola law higher than the statutes OF INC
Many persons accepted the ~preachment readily because j
gneant no restraint upon what was described as their persona
i z WGIG lOu lIdA a law Tin WI -.
gfnunty should be enforced, and one they did not IKE shouit
7bxcome a dead letter,
About ten years ago a ~wellknown newspaper printed man,
editorials declaring that prohibition could not be enforced, ant
created a sentiment for its violation when 1t was enacted, in the
belief that the best way to be rid of an obnoxious law was Y
defy it, and in this language justified the subsequent act OF every
s~bootlegger the law created:
Prohibition has succeeded in drivias out many saloons, but II h aa
~. reduced d drinking or , dr9nsennIs IS a present Isssn i hoysMy' r t \ y, ~
not easy to say where 1t will stop. 1t has carried In several Southern
Estates, but 1T has also failed to carry in several
3 4 We do not believe that 1t can be permanently successful, beCaus
4 sr saolf Il !. , .aS1 9any p Gt SsPson. .nf Sss sas 'vi Tsss. a ss %sSs A %iiios ss1 :
gssopls in this country who want something .sast N, K drink; and The pain
& saled By v legislation some Of them. doubtless, drink more thai
shsy have any business s,u TO- but these people tss are not apt to 30 cured b b
they should be deprived of their beer or vine Or occasional drink .
NE si many NO others s0 who Do d@'r not drink At III. But Who object . prohibition
option ana local home rule i /, sometime. aSsaed that he stats IL
: perfect right to 9. enforce prohibition IS against the wishes o. the peOpl
Il L S SsGs'l :. f 4sSsn 1Ssf d' that Il ef L T. : T nSs I Co snsi 'o { AK. lss a a Sraas o. sF, u max AZ
sss +, .ls ssSs, I s'@s e ,s sss IS ss'' n amy at't sSs t Sss p people 81 T Ss!s sss
are tSe most : @ Consistent eTt'p pohfb i %ipt" in d the words We Id vet t, certainly 't ts
cannot compare in morality, Righteousness or character with Anglo
saxon people.
Will anyone say that we are not suffering from such per
|fneious doctrines today
Our people need to catch a new vision; they need to tur
their faces toward the sun, instead OF looking backward upo
kthe-shadows.
The only way to fortify a boy or a girl against the xvi
Influence of the home so strong, so uplifting. so compelling tina
ne devil himself shall not be able to prevail againstit 1t,
t#@ Inc pootlegScr, ue plckpocket, the Stckup man and Other
what we term a low order Of criminals are not the oni
enders. We doubt il they are the worst.
There is the farmer who sells his tenants cotton for m
z and pays INN on the basis OF another; there is the ma
NH makes false entries against his customers, and wh
do any one OF a hundred things that arc done every da
L suffer no pang of conscience and no condemnation from Nj
shbor. He is setting an example of respectable, dishonest
II will find expression in an aggravated form with his chndre
hose who respect him for his business acunen.
The man who fails to do an honest days work; who l. m;
- a thing in a given way and takes a short cut and defraud
n ina an who pays him is in the same class #.t
H iot OF our present ills would be cured if men NOT IN,
would be seemingly honest with their ~neghbors. but honest wit
themselves. Every man knows what character az man !" v; !;
even his desires are locked in the secret chambers Of h
KheaftA q"
Scareh yourself What manner of man are you?
The Hawaiian has deNeloned a nroduct ,.orsA. .La. -