The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-21
JURY's GOOD RECOMMENDATION

county grand jury was that ot la" observauee and enforcement. Two concrete conditions were employed in this connection to impress upon the public authorities and the people the need for action in this respect, One was the failure of the traction com pany to carry out pressingly needed improvement in the paving ot Fsst avenue bteween Forty-first street and East Lake. The inquisitorial body called attention to the fact that' though this thoroughfare is part ot the East and West highway fixed by law and affecting the convenience comfort and interests of about forty thousand people in that community, Its condition is a disgrace to the county. It has long been source of agitation, annoyance and trouble to the com munity, as well as to the county and municipal governing bodies in efforts for an agreement with the traction company for solution. The company refuses to do it's part of the paving as provided by law.
 The grand jury, censuring the com pany for it's indifference to the public interests and it's public duty, says in this connections:
 Jitneys have been ordered off
 of First avenue and this alone will
 increase the revenue of the street
 car company from East Lake and
 Woodlawn lines by more than
 S125,000 per year, which would
 seem itself to amply justify the
 street railway company paving
 these tracks. Yet, hiding behind
 the protecting hand of a receiver
 ship. this company is trying to
 drive hard bargains and coldly
 declares that it will not perform
 it's duty and obligations to the
 people of the state, county and
 city unless the public will relieve
 them of a duty declared and inn
 posed by statute, and virtually
 gl.ant them forever the exclusive
 right and privilege to appropriate
 more than twenty feet of our | principal highway to the uses and
 purposes of private corporation.
 A way must be found to protect
 the people from those who seek
 only to fill their coffers with lll-
 gotten gold, saved through disre-
 gard of public duty. A corpora
 tion that uses street Tor the eN-
 elusive purpose of collecting reVe-
 nue should be made to keep the street it occupies in the very
 best condition.
 These are plain words which apply to an existing condition well-nlgh as intolerable as inexcusable. The words of the grand jury put the question of law enforcement where responsibility rests, while directing attention to a situation which unloads heavy bur- den Lpon the people by private cor poration to which they have been wonderfully generous and almost in- credibly tolerant. The citizens may well ask what the constituted authorities are going to do about it.
 On this important matter of law ob- servance and enforcement the grand iury referred to the Haunting of laws that affect the safety and welfare ot the people. the failure to enforce such laws. and the activities of enforcement authorities in seeking arrests of small offenders where special fees are avail able. Instead of going to the source of an evil which threatens the protec- tion of life and property, the surface is scraped where financial rewards are to be had. Thus the bootlegger com. mands more attention and effort at the hands of enforcement agencies than murderers, highwaymen, burg lars, auto speeders, and long list of law violators who menace the public safety and strike directly at the pub lie welfare. These are matters for the serious consideration of the people who vote to put in authority officials intensely active in getting and hold ing office, woefully sluggish in per formance of duty after elections.
 Every unjrejudiced citizen with two good eyes and few ounces of brain: behind them knows by experience anc observation that important things, sucf as detection, punishment and suppress sion of serious crimes, abolition o1 highway robbery and burglary, press ing need for street lights, efficiency ir the police department, ct cetera, arc sadly neglected in this great growing and rich community, while the thought and energies of public authori ties are frittered away with matters that have little effect on the safety and welfare of the people. If the grand jury's report accomplishes any. thing worth while for the protection of the people against this discourag, ? ing situation, it will have been a pub lie service.