Imperial Valley press., 1929-04-22
H()()VE: R
IN PLEA
FOR LAW
First Public Address
Of President Made To
Newspaper Men.
ASKS FOR SUPPORT
Chief Executive Urges
Papers OF Nation To
Take Firm Stand.
By LAWRENCE SULLIVAN


(UDited Press Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, April -. U.R)
President Hoover today called upon
the press of the nation to throw it's
influence uurcscrvedly into the fight
fur law enforcement.
He asked fer a quickcning of the
public conscience on the whole
problems of 1awlessness. He repre-
serted prohibition enforcement as
merely a part OF the problem declar-
ing that only per cent of felony
convictions last year came from that
source.
lis solution, he said, referring
to the problem Of law enforcement,
3" IS more vltal to che preservation
# our institutions than any other
question before Us.
If law can be upheld only by en-
orcemcnt officers, then our scheme
of government IS at an end.
10 individual has the right to
determine what law shall be obeyed
and what law shall not be enforced.
If a law is wrong, its rigid en-
forcemcnt is the surest guaranty Of
It's repeal. II it is right, its en-
soroemcnt is the quickest method of
compelling respect for it.
THE duty TO enforce the laws
rests upon every public official and
th' duty to obey Ii rests upon every
citizen.
Speech Is Sharp
The President Is address, his first
since he entered the White House
on March i, was delivered at the
aunua. luncheon Of the Associated
Press, at the Waldorf His audience
was composed almost entirely of
newspaper editors and publishers,
representing every section of the
country.
Like the message to congress last
week, President Hoover address
was br.cf. us 1000 words dealt
with bat one subject.
u have accepted this occasion
for frank statement Of what I con
slider the dominant issue before the
American people, President Hoov-
or began. The speech was blunt and
ineiSlve in language.
l ask only that you weigh this
for yourself, and if my position is
right, that you support it-not to
support me but to support some
thing infinitely more precious the
ONE force that holds our eiviliza-
tion together-iaw.
And wish to discuss it as law,
not as the merits or dtmerits Of "A
particular law but all law, federal
and state; for ours is a government
of laws made by the people them
selves"
Recalling that he has seen recent
~ though ne gave no hint of the
m Alone case, the Texas Guinan
trial on the sensational publicity
Which has grown out of this season IS
congressional Wu&rts newspaper
articles "ercouragmg citizens to
d. fy law because that particular
Journal did not approve of the law
ltsalf, tha President said me would
Irsve comment ON such cases ''to
any citizen with sense Of response
bi.ity to his country.
Cites Numerous Killings
President Hoover was emphatic in
his declaration, however that ha
sought in mo- wise to curb th, tad,
ti.nai and cherished freedom OF the
press
As evidence that the hardening Of
IL national conscience is working
toward LIBERALIZATION of the life
blood of democratic government,
Uuesid,ut Hoover cited tuat there
IS m average of about 5000 lawless
81 ings throughout the nation every
year. with only about half the num-
bgr Of arrests following. Less than
on sixth of the s.aycrs ever are
convicted,
AS .u his inaugural address, Pres
Ilent Hoover challenged the social
morality OF the bootlcggor patron.
lie described 9th, vast sums that
are poured into the hands Of the
rimnal classes hy the patronage OF
Illicit liquor by otherwise response
Bile citizens Vet prohibition, he
continued "is but q sector OF thc
invasion of lawlessuess.'