Evening star., 1922-03-28
citizen IS BLAMED
~ ~ D.1 %.
| FOR CRIME WAVES
Judge Harrison, in Talk at
Mid-City Meeting, Says
People Have Remedy.

Proper aid full enforcement Of the
extent with, the citizens. and when the
latter come to a fuller realization of
this fact lawlessness will be reduced
] and the laws will be better enforced,
according to Judge Robert c. Hardison
of the local Police Court, In an address
| last night before the members Of the
Mid-City Citizens Association. meeting
in the. auditorium of the Thomson
School.
The fact that lawlessness In the Dis
trict has increased in recent years and
that there appears laxity In the en-
forcement Of some of the laws Is not
the fault Of any official Of the city. but
is due to the lack Of appreciation of
| their public duties by the citizenship,
the Police Court jurist contended. He
declared the average citizen Is either
| indifferent to or ignorant of his ability
to aid in the enforcement of the law
! and in reducing lawlessness.
Calls Criminals Cowafds.
Criminals. and evil-doers are all
cowards," Judge Hardison said.
when the public becomes aroused
| and asserts emphatically and unmis-
takab,y its condemnation OF law
breaking, and when the public aids
! in the enforcement of the law, then
you will see reduction in these un-
desirable conditions. There Is un-
! fortunately tremendous lack OF IN
terest and knowledge on the part OF
the average citizen regarding his part
! in the enforcement of the law. The
| citizens should be brought to a bet
! ter understanding of their duties In
these respects. In this connection II
| Is my opinion that the various citi.
| zens' associations in the District
| should make 1t a part of their work
| to the duties and responsibilities OF
| jurors and as to the necessity Tor
| answering the calls for witnesses.
Serving on jury is one OF the hign-
est and most honored services citi,
zen can perform, and men should
make every sacrifice to serve "heh
| they are summoned"
f.! In conclusion, Judge Hardison ex-
| pressed the opinion that the time !!
mot far distant when women VIII
| serve as jurors in the pistrict. He
intimated that he would welcome this
Innovation, saying: 1t wouli rot
| be SO easy for a good-i)"ktng woman
| appearing in court to put it "ver on
a jury IL one of her own sex were
sitting among the latter"
Mrs. EdginGton Defends Girls.
| Mrs. Frank E. Edgington of the
Y. w. C. A., in a brief address de-
Iscribing the activities in Washington
fpf that organization, defended the
young girl Of today. who, she declar-
ed, was receiving far too much unde-
served criticism for the tndtscrettons
| Of few.
| president OF the association, DR.. ]. C.
Buchanan. vice president. presided
during the meeting. Attention was
called to the fact that this was the
second time in ten years that Presi-
dent Driscoll has missed meeting OF
| the association.
| The meeting voted its approval OF
i the proposed memorial to the late
Henry B. F. Mcfarland. former Com
! missioner. to be placed in the Dis
1 trict building. At a future meeting II
will vote an appropriation to be sent
! to the Macfarland memorial commit
| tee.
Indorse Clean-Up Week.
| A resolution, introduced by Gilbert
| Hall, indorsing the Commissioners
proposed Cleanup week and calling
upon the members Of the association
to aid in this endeavor to improve the
sightiness Of the city, was unani-
The proposed legislation providing
| for the opening Of 18th street SO as
to extend 1t through Walter Reed
| which proposes to include drivers OF
| police patrols in class of the police
| force, was referred to the COMMITTEES
| on law >and legislation for a report.
The election of financial secretary
was deferred until the April meeting