Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-05
THOMPSON TALK
ON CITIZENSHIP
States Attorney Addresses Trinity
Mems Club on Individual
Responsibilities.

Responsibilities of Citizenship"
was the subject upon which States
Attorney Floyd E. Thompson talk
ed before members and friends of
the Mems club OF the Trinity Epis-
copal church at o'clock last even
ing. Mr. Thompson's address pre-
ceded the regular business meet
ing of the organization at the par
ish house.
I'VE citizens are responsible for
the shortcomings of our fellow
men. especially foreigners" said
the states attorney. Those of us
who proudly call ourselves Ameri-
cans hold aloof, as rule, from
those who come to our shores from
other lands. We do not go among
them and preach the true doctrine
of Americanism and explain our
government and laws as We know
them. We leave this important
duty for some soap-box BolsheYiki
orators, who in the beginning &us
instill into newcomers a spirit and
line of thought entirely foreign to
true and sound Americanism.
THE future of our country, its
greatness or smallness, depends
upon the caliber of its citizenry
Each of US should strive, insofar as
it lies in our power, to inculcate
the right spirit; the correct con-
ception of our law, government,
ideals and principles, into the
minds of those who journey to this
country seeking American citizen
ship.
Our responsibilities do not end
here. We must take the youths
who through environment and lax
supervision drift into crime, and
see that effective attention is given
them that they may be guided
through the dangerous period in
their lives and brought up to be
useful, law-abiding subjects. There
should be more truant officers for
efficient supervision of boys and
girls.
The new citizen should not be
told to keep out of politics. Quite
the contrary. He should be in
struCted to devote time and atten-
ton to this matter that he might iR-
diligently participate in political
L
qualified to vote unless he has Civ
en- politics considerable thought
and careful study. The reason our
legislative halls are filled with ex-
tremistS is because too many of US
sidestep this sponsibility and dis
claim all connection with politics
1T is the duty of every citizen to
educate himself so that if called
upon he can serve as an intelligent
fair, and impartial juror, assuring
the guilty of conviction and the in
nocent of acquittal Each and ev-
cry man accused under our law has
a right to such a juror and we
should consider it an obligation on
the part of each and everyone of us
to our fellowmen to so educate our
selves and those who seek full
privileges is American subjects.
We citizens owe a tremendous
possibility TO those men who
commit crime and in regard to
methods and means for dealing
with them; that they may be made
fit to resume their niche in life
when they are turned out on So
ciety for another chance Every
man convicted and sentenced, I'M
less it be to death, is taken to pris- ,
on with the ultimate expectation
that sooner or later he is to be
relOOsed upon society. It is up to
us to see that when he is turned
back he will prove an asset rather
than menace
AS citizens we must provide ef-
fective supervision for those whom
are admitted TO probation; we must
see that parole agents and prison
officials are paid higher salaries
in order that these positions be
filled by men who have made
study of their work that they may
better handle and deal with men. |
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