The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-16
An Important Job

Out Of all the officials TO be elected at the
coming election and nominated a few days
hence. there is O n more important than the
prosecutor.
He has wide powers, if he chooses to use
them. Upon his ability to cope with all the
crooked criminal lawyers, and they are le-
gion, depends the enforcement of law. Upon
his freedom from entangling alliances Of
any sort and his courage depend the respect
for law by the respectable and the terror Of
law by the criminal element. A really good
prosecutor can do much to keep order in the
community.
1t is most interesting to note that the
supporters. Of. the present prosecutor inter-
2 pref his minority in the vote cast by attor-
neys of his own party to the fact that he has
refused to fix cases for those who practice in
his court. If this be true, then a majority of
the Republican lawyers of the city should
be disbarred.
If that is the compelling motive for their
votes, then the profession Of law has become
2 menace to justice. No longer do lawyers
depend upon truth for defense nor precedent
for authority.
A prosecutor who hesitates can not COM
plain if lawyer d laymen demand some
proof of sincerity Of purpose. In a time when
lawlessness increases and respect for law
diminishes with every failure to convict,
every city and especially this city which has
the reputation of being law-abiding, should
have a vigorous prosecutor who refuses to
listen to any private plea, no matter what its
source, and who has courage to defy any In
fluence which swerves away from the plain
course of duty.
It IS Just possible that the courage shown
by the opponent of the present prosecutor in
political matters has attracted some admira-
ton and support. Republican voters will re-
member that it took courage to support
Hoover as a candidate for president when
the Watson farce was being perpetrated.
1t was at that time that the opponent of
the present prosecutor showed that he had
the courage of his convictions when he tried
to organize the voters of this city in behalf
of Hoover as against Watson. That was an
invitation to political suicide. Today he has
a majority of Republican lawyers giving him
the preference.
Laurens Henderson has shown that he
has courage. The lawyers testify to his abll-
itv. Republican voters would do well to con-
slider him, especially in the light of the fact
that during the fight against Stephensonlsm,
he was associated with his father as attorney
for Tom Adams in a fight that was desperate
and promised little.
On the Democratic side, it is unfortunate
that a little known candidate had but one
vote. Perhaps the voters will give Brennan
a better chance. A man who served his
country so we'll in time of war and who has
such a background of sympathy with the
conditions of privation as come to a boy who
supported his mother at the age of II, be-
came an expert mechanic and so expert that
the government hampered his later legal
career by drafting him to detect enemy In
fuence in factories during the war, IS at
least entitled to more than a casual glance.
1t is important to have a good prosecutor
Intelligent, courageous, and most OF all
brave enough to cast aside personal advan-
taQe for the common good.
There may be other nominees on the
democratic ticket who have these qualities.
The vote of the lawyers in the Republican
primary suggest that Henderson is worth
looking at. Certainly his hardihood in lead
;no the forlorn Hoover hope against the
+ Watson camouflage shows that he has cour-
age.