The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-13

this institution is doing the greatest and best work of any institution in our city. It is God-send to the peo- pie. The majority of the patients of this institution come from within the city limits of Birmingham, and we understand and feel that it is the duty of our city to join with the coun- ty and cooperate with it in every sense of the word in the expense and upkeep of this institution.
 The officers and nurses are espe- cially enthusiastic as to the welfare of the institution. and in every de- tail credit should be given them and the doctors for their interest and warm feeling for the poor, unfortunate Of our county.
 Since the organization of this grand voted bond issue to remodel and en- large this hospital We feel that the officers and nurses in charge of the hospital should be given every con sideration relative to their views as to how county hospital should be built and handled, as they are thorough ly familiar with this work. We, the the officials and all members of the grand jury of Jefferson county, on behalf and nurses a vote of thanks for behalf of the people of the county, give the work that they are doing.
 JUVENILE COURT.
 We find that conditions at the juve- nile court in general are good. How ever, we found that the plumbing in the boys ward was badly in need of repair and that this should receive at tention at once.
 We recommend that strong, high fence be built back of this building so that the children can go outside in the sunshine and fresh air at least once day.
 CITY JAIL
 We visited the city jail at noon and inspected the food and found that 1t was good. The cells on the lower floor are dark and the ventilation is poor and conditions almost unberable. The bulld- ing should be painted and repaired on the inside, which we were told by the warden in charge would be done in the near future. There is no place in which to keep the insane and vicious women prisoners separate from the others, and we recommend that cells be built for this purpose.
 COUNTY COURTHOUSE
 We find that the courthouse is entire ly too small, and we urge that steps be taken as soon as possible to erect the new building.
 It has come to the notice of this grand jury that there is a great deal of un- necessary loafing about this courthouse by unemployed people, and that the peo- pie of Jefferson county heartily recOm- mend that steps be taken to have the aisles cleaned so that a man who comes to the courthouse to look up records, file papers and transact business may be given room enough to maneuver about from one room to the other without be- | ing disturbed by loafers.
 LAW ENFORCEMENT | As to your Honor's charge to the grand jury relative to Investigating press statements of our senator, Hon. Oscar W. Underwood, in the state of Maine, and published all over the United States, in which he is quoted as saying in effect that the activities and lawless- ness of an invisible empire in the state of Alabama have resulted in the peO- pie of this state being afraid to open their front doors at night i'll answer to knock on the door, upon investigation we have found that this statement is without any foundation, and we resent such q statement to the fullest degree, as it is besmirching to the fair name of the state of Alabama and our city. | We are of opinion that if such state ments as attributed to our honorable senator were in fact made by him, he was misled by his source of information, as we find that the enforcement of the law in Jefferson county and our great city of Birmingham is equal to or su- perior to any county or city of its size and we further find that cases brought | by the officers of the city and county are presented in such concise and intel ligent manner with full details as to all angles of the case that we are enabled to pass on them promptly and intelli' gently.
 We want to emphasize the fact that the greatest menaces that confront oui county and city are vagrants. They are responsible for 90 per cent of the burglaries. bootlegging and crime of ev cry nature, and we urge upon the of ficers that they are cleaned up, anC when convicted given the full penalty o1 the law. We also urge that the traf fife laws of our city and county be en forced to the fullest extent There arc entirely too many accidents from viola tions of this law. When guilty they l i ffN ba fullaSt nYtnpt