Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-22
TEXT OF HOOyER's ADDRESS
President Says Obedience of Law by Individual i
Essence of Freedom.

and to reorganize our system of en-
| forcement in such manner as to elm
| mate its weaknesses. It Is the purpose
Of the Federal administration syste.
matically to strengthen It's law-enforce.
ment agencies week by week, month By
month, year by year, not by dramatic
displays and violent attacks In order
to make headlines not by violating the
| law itself through misuse Of the law In
Its enforcement, but by steady pressure
steady wedding out Of all incapable anc
negligent officials, no matter what theil
status; by encouragement, promotion
and recognition for those who do theil
duty, and by the most rigid scrutiny oil
the records and attitudes Of all persons
suggested for appointment to oficia
posts In our entire law-enforcement
machinery.
FavOrs Elimination Of Defects.
That IS administration for which my
colleagues and I are as fully respon-
sible as the human material which
can be assembled for the task
Furthermore, wish to determine and
as far as possible, remove the sources
Of inherent defects in our present sys-
tenn that defeat the most devoted
officials.
Every student Of our law-enforcement
mechanism knows full well that 1t Is IL,
need OF vigorous reorganization, that Its
procedure unduly favors the criminal
that our judiciary needs to be strength
ened. that the method Of assembling
our 1uries needs revision, that Justice
must be more swift and sure. In our
desire to be merciful the pendulum has
SWING I'm f0VnP ff ha
away from the protection of society
The sympathetic mind of the American
people IN its overconcern about those
who are In difficulties has swung toe
far from the family of the murdered
to the family of the murderer.
With q view to enlisting public I'M
Outstanding, public support, accurate de-
termination Of the facts and constrlc-
tive conclusions, have proposed. to
establish a national commission to study
ana report upon the whole of our prob
lens involved in criminal-law enforce
meAt. That proposal has met with graft
lying support, and I am sure it will
have the cooperation of the bar ASSOC
Citations and crime commissions in DIR
various States In the widespread effort
now being made by them. I do not
propose to be hasty in the selection of
this commission. I want time and ad-
vice, IN order that may select high
minded men. impartial in their judy
ment, 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.
Press Plays Vital Part.
srl1ara e. o~nkAo. - .-A.
held than the nature of laws and the
method OF their enforcement. 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 a
dominant part. 1t Is almost final in its
potency to arouse the interest and con-
seriousness Of our people. It can destroy
their finer sensibilities or 1t can invig-
crate them. am well aware that the
great majority of our important jour-
mails. day by day, give support to these
high ideals.
I wonder. sometimes, however, II per-
haps a little more support to our laws
could not be given in one direction.
If, instead of the glamour of romance
and heroism, which our American mag
NATIVE minds too frequently throw
around those who break the law, we
would invest with little romance and
heroiSm those thousands of our officers
who are endeavoring to enforce the law
1t would itself decrease crime. Praise
and respect for those who properly en-
force the laws would help. Perhaps a
little better proportioned balance of
news concerning those criminals who
are convicted and punished would serve
to tnstill the fear of the law.
need not repeat that absolute
freedom Of the press to discuss public
questions is q foundation stone of
American liberty. I put the question,
however, to every individual conscience,
whether flippance is a useful or even
legitimate device in such discussions.
do not believe 1t is. Its effect is as
misleading and as distorting Of public
conscience as deliberate misrepresenta-
ton. Not Qualification, but confusion
Of issues arises from it.
Our people for many years have been
intensely absorbed in business, in the
try, and we have attempted to special
lie in our occupations, to strive to
achieve in our own specialties and to
respect competency Of others in theirs
Unconsciously we have carried this pSy-
chology into our state of mind toward
government. We tend to regard the
making of laws and their administra-
ton as q function of group Of special
lists in government whom we hired for
this purpose and whom we call public
servants. After hiring them it is our
purpose casually to review their actions
to accept those which we approve, and
to reject the rest.
Cites individuals Duties.
This attitude of mind is destructive
of elf-government, for f-government
Is predicated 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 enforcement.
Finally, wish to again reiterate that
the problem Of law enforcement Is not
alone a function or business of gov
eminent. If law can be upheld only
by enforcement officers, then our
scheme Of government is at an end
Every citizen has personal duty in
1.-THE duty to order his own actions, to
so weight the effect Of his example that
his conduct shall be q positive force
in his community with respect to the
law.
I have no criticism to make of the
American press. greatly admire its
independence and its courage. some-
times feel that IT. could give more en-