Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-18

! evils OF Wllful and continued VIOLA
/ tions of the law This is the most
effective information in the world.
There is nothing dishonorable about
1 it and every good citizen who stands
/ for civic righteousness, be he
preacher or layman, owes it to himself
and community to see to it that such
! information as he may have is pass
/ ed to those whose special duty it is
/ to execute the law. How can the
| officers know otherwise? What
sound argument can be advanced for
saying that one may be interested in
the drink habit and yet have no con-
Germ whatever about the liquor traf-
| tic? Some contend as an excuse for
not doing more toward enforcing the
| law that they try to regulate their
own personal habits and that is as far
! as their duty goes. But how can one
exist without the other? How can
one hope for his brother to be free
from the drink habit and lend a deaf
| ear ID the drink traffic? There seems
to be a willingness on the part of the
| public to report the wrongful conduct
Of the law makers. Why not create
and help foster such q sentiment or
the part of the public as to lawbreak-
| ers? No law breaker would make
| bold to ''set-up" in any community
if he knew that the courageous, law
abiding citizens of that communitc
would inquire into his activities and
Z To III, f,,l
conduct to those who are trying to
administer the law. Can you offer
any good reason, Mr.. Reader, why
most of what the officers term" way
bills to stills should be furnished by
the good women of the country? Why
place this additional responsibility
upon their shoulders? Every COM
munity has plenty of citizens IN its
midst who stand for law and order
to keep this sort of thing down if
they will only do so. and when the
public once realizes what an effective
weapon it has in its hand as to this
question of information. It's going to
speak out in meetin'" and the open
law breaker will have to seek the
timbers. 1t is frequently difficult for
the officers to get information which
the public has, and thereby hangs
tale"
Jury Service and Revision.
2. Another very important part
that the public plays in the enforce
ment of the laws is the service rem
dered as jurors. Without a plea of
guilty no criminal can ever be
made to face judge without his
conduct first being passed upon by
two juries. First, the grand jury
must return a true" bill and then
the petit jury must bring in a ver-
dict of guilty. In the porper en-
! forcement of the law therefore, it
| is of the utmost Importance that our
, best men serve on the juries. But how
often it is the case that those best
! qualified to serve seek to be eXcus-
ed because of business or personal
reasons. This is a most solemn and
important duty the public owe the
proper enforcement of the law and
there should be less Sinking on the
part of some of our citizens when
drawn for this service.
Besides jury service and equal to
it, if not superior, in Importance,
comes the question of the prepare
ton and revision of jury lists. Mr..
Reader, do you know how your jury
lists are constituted? Have you ev-
er spoken to your judge alone or
! with a committee and discussed with
him the personnel of the jury COM
missioners for your county? Have
you ever suggested to THE jury COM
missioners of your county the names
of persons who would make safe and
sane jurors? If you have to an
swer these questions in the mega
tive, then | very much doubt if you
have any right to complain about
the lack of law enforcement in your
community. The part the public
can play in this connection is of far
reaching Importance.
Guard Officers Conduct.
8. Time was when about the on
ly qualification necessary for an adj
ministrative officer of the law was
plenty of physical courage. But
such is not the case today. An of
ticer must have more regard for
his personal conduct now than ever
before. And this is right. No of
ficer has any legal or moral right
to act in manner that will bring
reflection upon the office he holds
The public has a right to expect
clean, wholesome conduct on the part
of the sworn officers of the law
And the law breaker can justly point
with scorn to the officer who has
no regard for his own conduct and