Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-04-13
WHERE DO YOU STAND ON LAW
ENFORCEMENT?

Wilmington, Del, April cit is
Of vital Importance where you, as an
individual citizen, stand on the ques-
ton of law enforcement" said Fed
eral Prohibition Commissioner R. A.
Haynes in an address here today.
What is your attitude toward this
law which is a part of the Constitu-
ton of this great country of ours?
Continuing, Commissioner Haynes
said:
mo trivial or superficial obligation
rests upon the American citizen who
receives all the benefits of citizenship
in this great land, and he only dis
charges the conditions of citizenship
when he gives his best efforts toward
the perpetuity of his country.
"You may ask, What can l do to
express M patriotism and to place
myself positively upon the side of law
enforcement? AS citizens you can
give your cooperation and assistance
to all enforcement officers; you can
help in the enforcement of this law
by publicly and privately registering
your sentiment in favor of vigorous
enforcement of he law; you can
greatly assist by serving upon juries
as every good American citizen should
do. You can render assistance by ex-
pressing your opinion to the editor of
your paper and by encouraging the
faithful public servant who is doing
his best to enforce the law; you can
register yourself in favor of law en-
forcement by affliating yourself with
those societies and organizations that
have for their purpose the intoxicating
of the spirit of reverence for law in
both young and old. And not the
least among all the things to be OBJ
served that will place you on record
is your daily conduct, where in strict
obedience to the law you will create
an example that will point others to
an attitude of proper respect for the
law.
81 realize that it is very difficult for
the alien to understand this law. He
has been surrounded with customs
that are ancient; he has lived in a
country where the population is homo
geneous and so a law that touches
ones personal habits as closely as the
prohibition law is quite foreign to his
thought. Only highest regard should
be felt for the foreign born citizen
who comes to us determined to con-
form to our customs, our ideals and
our laws; but for one who de-
fiant and determined not to conform,
and to violate the laws, punishment
should come quick and sure.
"The foreign standards of life, types
of citizenship, ideals and customs are
not sufficient for us. America must
inspire with her ideals, direct and re-
strict by her laws until she has re-
moulded and remade the foreigner
ipto the American type with the
American character.
'The fact that great strides are be-
ing made toward the ultimate goal of
nationwide law observance is un-
questionable. The following statistics
from your own state show encourag-
ing results:
"The warden of the New Castle
county workhouse reports the popu-
1dI1OA VI IhoI 4hoIlIuIiOh lOA IAC pooI
seven years. In 1915 there were 1852
inmates; in 1917 there were 45S; in
1918 there were 548; the number
gradually decreased from then on to
1922, when there were 1853 inmates.
1.-THE superintendent of the Della
ware Hospital at Wilmington reports
a rs per cent decrease in alcoholic
cases since the years Immediately pre-
ceding prohibition.
"The number of arrests for drunk
enness in Delaware, except Kent
County, for which we have no report,
decreased from 2,7O3 in 1919 to 623 in
ten months of 1922.
1.-THE savings and bank accounts
show an increase from $45,307, 1856 in
1917 to $64, $50, 289 in 1922.
From 1917 to 1922 the school at
tendance has increased by 2,723.
There are 178 former saloons and
breweries now occupied by legitimate
business concerns.
81 am here today to pledge you my
best effort to enforce the law. I call
upon all, regardless of political creeds
or religious beliefs, as Americans, to
rally to the side of law enforcement,
defense of the Constitution and Ameri-
can ideals"