The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-05-11
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT HOOVER DELIVERED AT
ANNUAL LUNCHEON OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

the cooperation of the bar associations and crime
commissions in various states in the widespread
effort now being made by them.
do not propose to be hasty in the selection Of
this commission. I want time and advice in order
that may select high minded men, impartial in
their judgment skilled in the science of the law and
our judicial system, clear in their conception of our
institutions. Such a commission can perform the
greatest of service to our generation.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS
There is another and vastly wider field than the
nature of laws and the methods OF their enforce
ment. This is the basic question Of the understand
ing the ideals the relationship of the individual
citizen to the law itself It is in this field that the
press plays dominant part. 1t is almost final in
its potency to the interest and consciousness
of people. It destroy their finer sensbili-
ties or it can invigorate them am we'll aware that
the great majority of our important journals day by
day give support to these high ideals
FLIPPANCY OF PRESS CONDEMNED
I wonder sometimes, however, if perhaps little
support to our laws could not be given in one
direction If, instead of the glamor of romance and
heroism, which our American imaginative minds
too frequently throw around those who break the
law would invest with little romance and
heroism those thousands Of our officers who
deavorng to enforce the law would itself decrease
crime
Praise and respect for those who properly enforce
the laws and daily condemnation of those who defy
the laws would help. Perhaps little better pro-
portoned balance of news concerning those criIni-
mails who convicted and punished would serve to
inStill the fear of the law
I need not repeat that absolute freedom Of the
press to discuss public questions is foundation
stone of American liberty. put the question, how
ever, to every individual conscience, whether flip
pancy is useful or legitimate device in such
discussions. do not believe it is. It's effect is
misleading and dStorting Of public conscience as
deliberate Misrepresentation. Not clarificaton but
confusion of issues arises from it,
DESTRUCTIVE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
Our people for many years have been intensely
absorbed in business in the astonishing upbuilding
Of great country and we have attempted to
specialtieS and to respect competency of
others in theirs UnconSciouSy, we have carried
this psychology into our state of mind toward gov
eminent.
We tend to regard the making of laws and their
administration function of a group Of special
lists in government whom we hired for this purpose
and whom call public servants.
After hiring them it is our purpose casually to
review their actions, to accept those which we ap-
prove and to reject the rest.
This attitude Of mind is destructive of sef-goV-
eminent, for Self-gOvernment is predcated upon
the fact that every responsible citizen will take his
part in the creation Of law, the obedience to law
and the selection Of officials and methods for its en-
forcement
Finally, wish to again reiterate that the problem
of law enforcement is not alone function or bust
ness of government If law can be upheld only by
enforcement officers then our scheme of govern
ment is at end. Every citizen has q personal
duty in 1.-THE duty to order his own actions to SO
weigh the effect of his example, that his conduct
shall be positive force in his community with re-
Spect to the law.
AN APPEAL TO THE PRESS FOR COOPERATION
I have no criticism to make of the American
press. 1 greatly admire its independence and its