The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-22
Pleads With Press to Help
Solve Enforcement
Problem.
PAINTS BIGGEST ISSUE
President Declares Trend Is
Peril to Foundation of
Government.
Text of Presidents speech, Page One.
Section THOl
BY LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
United Press STAFF Correspondent.


United Press STAFF Correspondent
NEW YORK, April 22.-President
Herbert Hoover today called upon
the press OF the nation to throw its
influence UnreservedIy into the fight
for law enforcement.
He asked for quickening of the
public conscience on the whole prob
lem Of laWlessness. He represented
prohibition enforcement as only a
part Of the problem, declaring that
only 8 per cent Of felony convictions
last year came from that source.
It's solution he said, referring
to the problems of law enforcement,
"ls more vital to the preservation
Of our institutions than any other
question before us.
Duty on Every Citizen
If law can be upheld only by
enforcement officers. then our
scheme Of government is at an end
No 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-
forCement is the SureSt guaranty of
its repeal. If it is right, its enforce
ment is the quickest method of COM
pelling respect for it.
The duty to enforce the laws
upon every public official and the
duty TO obey it rests upon every
citizen"
The Presidents address, his first
since he entered the White House
on March +, was delivered at the
annual 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.
Speech Is Blunt
Like the message to congress last
week, President Hoover's address
was brief Its 1000 words dealt with
but one subject.
I have accepted this occasion for
a frank statement OF what I con-
sider the dominant issue before the
American people, President Hoover
began. The speech was blunt and
inciStve in language.
Il ask only that you weigh this
FOR yourselves, 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 civilization
together-law.
And I wish to discuss it as law.
not as the merits or demerits of a
particular law. but all law, federal
and state: for ours is a government
Of laws made by the people them
selves"
Recalling he has seen recently
though he gave no hint Of the I'm
Alone case. the Texas Guinan trial
or the sensational publicity which
has grown out of this seasons con-
greSSional junketS - newspaper ar
ticles encouraging citizens to defy
a law ecause that particular jour-
nal did not approve of the law
itself" the President said he would
leave comment on such cases ito
any citizen with a sense of RESPONSE
bility to his country"
No Curb OH Press
L wonder sometimes" he went
on. If perhaps a little more support
to our laws could not be given in
one direction.
If. instead of the glamor of ro-
nance and heroiSm, which our
American imaginative minds too
frequently thrown around those who
break the law, we would invest with
a little romance and heroiSm those
thousands of our officers who are
endeavoring TO enforce the laws, it
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 a little
better proportioned balance of news
concerning those criminals who are
convicted and punished would serve
to instill the fear of the law"
President Hoover was emphatic,
however, that he sought in no wise
to curb the traditional and cher
ished freedom Of the press.
Such is the foundation stone Of
American liberty" he declared.
Up to individuals
Il put the question, however. to
every individual conscience, wheth-
er flippance is a useful or even a
legitimate device in such discus
sions. I do not believe in it. Its
effect is as misleading and as dis
torting of public conscience as de-
nberate misrepresentation. No
ciarification, but confusion of issues
arises from it."
AS evidence that the hardening of
The national conscience is working
toward LIBERALIZATION of the life
blood of democratic government.
President Hoover cited that there is
an average of about 5000 lawleSs
killings throughout the nation every
year, with only about half the num-
Der of arrests following. And less
than one-sixth of the slayers ever