Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-01-23
San Francisco Boy, German Refugee,
Top Winner in Hearst History Awards
THE WINNING ESSAY

AZ Sun Froac.sco iriaaer Of a $1,000 bond IN the
Hdlom EoIdoipb Hearst american history acod.
Tte osSog rrtt,, part Of the examination on
3rbJci the o5go,d r0S based.
WHEN we consider why the Bill of Rights was neces-
w sary We must hrs understand It's historical back
ground
To the trainers of our Constitution il must have
seemed obvious that any government operating ac-
c0rdng It's provisions would be in itself guarantee
Of the personal liberties of the people. That prob
ably the main why they never explicitly stated
the freedoms, later embodied in the Bill of Rights, in
the Constitution.
Certainly these men who had been leaders of their
people during the Revolution, had every intention of max
The new government democratic From the purely
selfish viewpoint it in their interest TO make it
When the Constitution finally made public, it was
me, by many Americans with dsrust
II seemed them strong central gov
eminent government with such powers might take away
their liberties again liberties which they had dearly
during the Revolution Then there the precedent
Of the British Magma Charta
GOULD the United States not also have document like
" that definite of rights and privileges
of which authority in the government could deprive
them9
II must be added also that many of the common peo
Of incapable of understanding the Con-
sttuton Others afraid that II might construed
meaning that rights not stated in the Constitution were
protected and therefore subject to violation.
The result of these arguments the Bill of Rights,
the first 10 amendments our Constitution
The First Amendment is perhaps, the most important
guarantees the rights of freedom of religion freedom of
speech, freedom of the press freedom of assembly and
freedom Of petition
Later amendments protect the right to bear arms pre-
the government from quarterng soldiers in the homes
of citizens against their consent insure them from unwar-
raned search fines and imprisonment and estab-
their right Of habeas corpus speedy jury trial. and the
powers of the states.
THE Constitution Bill of Rights have achieved in
great measure the purposes stated in the preamble
1t was easy but American ancestors succeeded
in securing blessings of liberty to themselves and their
posterty
The FIVE rights guaranteed in the First Amendment
now reality. Every American who makes free use OF
has the duty Of using them TO their best purpose
protecting them from abuse misuse, and of lighting
to preserve them from the enemies of democracy.-
Each Of these freedoms is both tool and weapon.
good citizen should the tool to build more con-
sructe democracy should the weapon to destroy
what he knows to be wrong.
Democracy is the great champion of the common man.
Freedom of petition her right to ask for her wants
Freedom of assembly her power 10 collect her COM
bined strength and express her combined will.
Freedom of press is her ability to carry her prin
cples every spread her doctrine to cor
ner Of the land
in the language which he understand
that he need be afraid to speak what he wants
Freedom religion the soul of democracy the prin-
ciple without which he could not exist.
Today our fighting again on foreign fronts
They know no others know, for what they are
dying They know the value of the Bill of Rights.