The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-17
Here's What Jefferson
 County Grand Jury Said
 Tn Final Report Yesterday

department of neaitn of this city. We
 are convinced. however, that the ulti-
 mate and greatest good will be ob- tained by means of prevention rather
 than by curative means. We would therefore urge and admonish the
 citizens of Jefferson county to obey
 this law of health, and also receiye the proper treatment, and thereby
 prevent laying the foundation for blindness, idiocy. imbecility. and
 racial degeneracy.
 Divorces, Needed Legislation
 We find that the machinery for obtaining divorces in this state is 1 absolutely obsolete. The problem of divorce Is just a small part of she problem that is involved. The most | intense problem is the question of children of divorced parents. We are following statutes and laws that are
 almost as old as our state. The
 divorce question is Just part of the domestic problem which involves the
 child. the husband, the wife, and the family as a unit. The prime object of the judge in trying divorce case. should be the
 preservation of the family unit. The
 next consideration is the preservation of society by proper rearing of the
 children. Trying divorce cases Is l dealing with the most tender relation ship of life. If you try the case, you put the husband down to one end of q table, and the wife down on the other, and tell the wife to tell all the | had things she can against the hus- | band. and the husband to tell all the bad things he can against the wife. | If there ever was a chance to remedy l the breach. you have lost it. The l trial of a divorce case should be ab- , solutely the last stage in the pro- ceedings; and, the way 1t is, 1t is tie l first. The judge should be provided with probationary force, and. when l ever any family trouble arises, should | have the probationary officer make thorough investigation, lay down, on the desk of the judge, the life 1 history of all the parties. the husband. 1 the wife, and the children; and, after 1 he has done that. the judge should then see if he can remedy the defect. 1 If then there is absolutely no remedy.
 then he should go ahead and try the ease.
 We recommend that the Juvenile l court of this county be made a do- nestle relations court, attached to the circuit court, with the right of
 appeal to the supreme court, thereby | relieving the courts of constant con fHcts between the juvenile court of tHiS SpuHly anu the circuit court,
 when they are properly one. We suggest that the present machinery
 of the juvenile court be taken ad- vantage of and that we manage to
 make 1t domestic relations divi-
 sion, and then there will be very little additional expense. This would
 be an advanced step in remedial Judicial procedure, and we would recommend to the next legislature
 that this be done.
 WhitecappinR
 Tt is with much regret that this
 grand jury, after investig gations, has
 been unable to ascertain and indlct
 the parties guilty of decoying citi-
 zens from their homes. families and
 places of business. binding them and
 carrying them to secluded places and
 administering corporal punishment.
 We know of no human conduct that
 could be more detrimental to the
 peace and qusetude of the community.
 or to the safety and rights of an in-
 dividual, than to have to undergo
 this kind of illegal un-American huminating and atrocious indignity. One has only to imagine the conse- quences of having to suffer such in- ldisnities by having his rights as a citizen, and the laws of his country, | foot by a band, who have bound 1 themselves together for the purpose l Of administering the law in such a l way as is pleasing or satisfactory to ], themselves. instead of reporting to ! the proper officer or tribunal. any person guilty of a breach of the law 1 in order that he might be brought before the bar of justice, indicted, i tried in open court. and punished ac- | nAr dfSRsr fr 1 of the commonwealth under which we live. If those who have been
 guilty of perpetrating these outrages
 persist in carrying them further, 1 nothing can be expected other than
 that they themselves will suffer be-
 cause of the consequences of their own deliberate and premeditated acts. | That suffering will overtake them ultimately, and cause their wives to | be left widows. and their children to l be left orphans. Is just as certain as
 the sunrise. No person guilty of such l Illegal action can expect, nor has he right to expect. any protection for himself. It Is conduct calculated to
 uproot and destroy the very founda- tions Of personal liberty, personal l rights, the sanctity of the law, and ] of the government under which we 1 live; and we hereby call upon all ci--
 izens to keep keen lookout ard
 careful observation, and be ready at all times to help in any movement 1 that may lead to a detection of the people guilty of these dastardly,
 cowardly and inhuman acts, and to report to the succeeding grand jurles any information which may lead to the arrest and conviction of those who are guilty of these atrocious crimes.
 Tn this regard, we desire to rec ommend that the next legislature en. act laws making this so-called white ! capping felony, punishable by i'm prisonment In the penitentiary for not less than two nor more than ten years. It Is now misdemeanor, and, on conviction, person so charged
 may be fined not less than $500, and may be imprisoned in the county jail. or sentenced to hard labor for the county for not more than 12 months City Affairs
 This grand jury investigated cer-
 tain conditions in connection with the city government and specially re- ported thereon in a former report. We regret to say that this grand jury feel that, having performed an hon. est, solemn and sworn duty.' and
 made a report of its Investigations, that we thouBHt was pest for the community, 1t has been misunder- 1 stood. has been misrepresented and greatly abused. and especially so by | the commissioners who, in open de- | fiance of legally constituted body
 which made fair and honest recom-
 mendation, were told. through the
 press, that the recommendation would rot be needed. and that no attention was or would be paid to 1t: and we
 now say to the public that. had there been any chance, under the law. for