Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-24
LAW ENFORCEMENT
DEBATE FEATURES
LAWYERS BANQUET

SAVANNAH, Ga, Feb. 2l.-The
annual banquet of the Savannah
Bar associat ton, held last night,
was made memorable by a three
cornered debate on the lack Of ell
forcement of the laws and an eff1"t
to fix the responsibility for it.
Judge w. H. Barrett, of the fed
eraI court, and F. G. Boatright, dis
trict attorney for the southern dis
trict of Georgia, put it up to
the state pretty strong for its al
legged lack of enforcement of the
laws. Judge P. w. Meldrim, of the
superior court for the eastern judi.
cial circuit, took up the cudgels IN
defense of the state.
The United States district attOr.
ney spoke at length. His argument
led him from Georgia to Herrin,
H.. and to discussion of Georgia
affairs. He spoke of a certain much
discussed secret order, and in this
connection said:
eve will soon have anarchy as
well as congressional legislation if
we don't look after our own af-
fairs"
''The Relief of the United States
Court was Mr.. Boatright's topic.
He spoke of the number of misde-
neanor cases that now crowd the
dockets of the federal courts, stat
ing these robbed the court on its
dignity. There are 5000 cases on
the dockets of the five courts in
the southern Georgia DIVISION" he
stated. The question of states
rights in this connection brought the
following from Mr.. Boatright
You believe in states rights
when you get what you want CT
when it is profitable. Congress is
going to keep on making laws if
the states do not enforce theirs
Stealing from interstate commerce
has been made an act punishable in
the federal court and the Mann act
has also been passed. Just to the
extent the state neglects her duty
in this regard, congress is going to
be called upon to act. The state
has rights and duties to perform
and these the state must perform
or congress will assume them" Mr.
Boatright charged there are some
counties in Georgia where it is inn
possible to get an Indictment. He
cited a case where a federal pre-
hibition agent had been "wantonly
murdered" stating that the only
punishment to the slayer will be
that the federal government can int
pose for interfering with a federal
official in the discharge of his duty
1t has been impossible, he stated,
to secure an Indictment of the STAY
er in the state courts
Judge Barrett approved the ut
terances of the district attorney and
said: Frequently and permanently
we are resting content in calling
on the national government for eff
ticient government rather than MAX
Ing our own efforts to secure it. He
said the northern states were more
or less rebelling against the in
frinSement on state rights. He men
toned the sleeping Dyer BILL" and
said if the states are unable to
govern themselves, the national gov
eminent must intervene.
Judge Meldrim followed Judge
Barrett. He said it was novel to
hear federal officers say states
rights should be respected. 81 have
learned for the first time tonight"
he said, that the several states
have refused to do their duty.
doubt that this is true" He blamed
federal legislation for the extra bust
ness of the federal courts. The crit
lciSm of the state courts, he sale,
was not altogether deserved and il
was certainly not true in this coun-
ty that there was an evasion Of
duty on the part of the state courts,
The triangular debate created the
widest interest among those who
boo i,5