The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-09-19
FIGHT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
ATTRACTS WIDE ATTENTION

Steps taken by the citizens OF birmingham
to stamp out lawlessness are being commented
on favorably by newspapers in Alabama and
other states. The people of this city hardly
realize the notoriety given to Birmingham by
numerous floggings and other deeds of vio-
lence. In many parts of the country the fight
being made here for law and order is watched
with sympathetic interest. Its success will be
hailed as victory for good government and
public decency.
Alabama, in. particular, is deeply interested
in the law enforcement movement. The Selma
Times-Journal says in a recent issue:
The rest of the state will look in wonder and
admiration while Birmingham girds up its lons
fight the forces of disorder and immortality that
have furnished the fair fame of the city with their
deeds of shame and criminality. The records show
that l05 homicides have been committed in the
city and its environs during the past year,
achievement in the wanton taking of human life
not equaled by the whole of England. Besides fits
record of capital crimes. there has been endless
panorama of awlessness, ruffianism, beatings and
robberies to and horrify the community and
with which the police have been powerless to
It Is heartening to that the people be-
coming aroused to their moral status and the dangers
OF their environment ana are beginning To take
inventory of their assets and to realize where the
responsibility rests for the criminal conditions that
exist The good citizens of the town being faced
with the necessity for radical action, have organized
Z for their salvation. The practical question is,
will these determined remain awake until the
job is thoroughly finished and the lawless bands
driven from their airs will they go to sleep
again? WIN they stand firm in their resolve
purge their community life, after the first
tional reaction has passed. allow themselves to
lapse into the old apathetic state of mind and
morals 1t is earnestly hoped by those who feel
abiding interest in all that the metropo-
lis of the state. that the good of Birmingham
are in deadly earnest and will not stop in their
crusades against the criminals merely with pious
exclamations of horror
The Times-Journal need not fear that the
citizens who have announced their determine
ton to end lawlessness in Birmingham will
stop until their work is done. 1t took some
time for them to become sufficiently aroused
to the gravity of the situation to unite against
the lawless element, but they have undertaken
to protect the good name of Birmingham from
further reproach with zeal and firmness that
will get results. They will not oppose violence
with violence, but will cooperate with the
city and county authorities. As Col. T. o.
Smith stated yesterday, eve, of course, realize
that we cannot end lawlessness in BirmIng-
ham by being a bigger bully than the other
fellow" There will be no attempt to use ex-
ira legal methods. The citizens patrols sent
out Saturday night were not armed mobs, but
were simply making an inspection tour If
1t is necessary for citizens to join members of
the sheriff's office and the police department
in police work, it will be done in legal way.
A magazine devoted to poetry boasts that
it has survived 10 years. Even at that it
probably hasn't made enough money to build
a skyscraper office and send literary scouts
to Europe.
Speaking of hands across the border, dis
patch from Ell Paso says striking rail workers
in America will receive ss7,50o month from
members of the Federation of Railway EN-
ployes of Mexico.
ever feel like running away from every
body?" askes the author of lay sermon. OF
course we do, but where can we run since
even the north pole has been robbed of it's
solitude?
"'Bleeding France Forgets Self in Wild
Revels. Headline. Some of these days
Americans will understand that the French
people don't spend all their time dancing the
can-can.
A man and his wife are serving on the same
jury in New Jersey. If she has square Jaw
and he has a receding chin her vote is as good
as two for conviction or acquittal.
Y 49,.
A sight we haven't witnessed yet is for
mer striker issuing from a railroad shop at the
close of the days work arm in arm with a
worker who stayed on the job.
The dry navy needs an Admiral Sims. 1t
isn't getting enough publicity.