The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1951-04-05
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel BrGnnon Smith

have been amazed to learn that a
raid made on 81 roadside joints
in our county Saturday yielded
guns, ammunition, brass knuckles,
black jacks, and even leather
whipping strap, in addition to the
expected whiskey and slot ma
chimes.
Many persons have commented
that we are becoming little
Chicago - such items being COM
monty associated with Chicago
gangsters and city hoodlums.
A number of citizens have be-
gun to wonder and to ask why
it is that Holmes county seems to
be the mecca of all evil in this
section of the state why it is
that hoodlums from all over the
state and some from out of the
state are moving here to ply
their nefarious trade. Certainly
these hoodlums are not wanted
here by the majority of Holmes
county citizens the greater num-
Der of which are decent, honor
able and law-abiding.
Why then is their presence in
such great numbers tolerated?
Why is it they are daily be-
coming more of problem in law
enforcement here?
want to tell you why - it is
because you and you and you
have neglected your obligations
as a citizen of your community
and county.
The average Holmes county ci-
tizen wants nothing more than
to live in peace and harmony
with his friends and neighbors,
discharging his obligations in an
orderly manner and giving no
one any trouble. He goes Sc
renely on his way Winding his
own business and leaving every
one else alone to do the same
thing. He wants no trouble and
he gives none.
Now this same citizen who
for SO long has minded his own
business finds himself living in
a county where it is not safe for
people to be out on the roads af-
ter dark on Saturdays and Sun
days because of drunken drivers
less than month ago man
and his child were killed and his
wife critically injured in such
an accident.
Why?
For years violators of our laws
have been brought into court, if
at all, only to escape with little
or no punishment. Convictions
for crime have been almost i'm
possible to obtain. Law enforce
ment officials have not been back
ed up by the public in way to
obtain convictions.
The sheriff and county and dis
trict attorneys may work their
heads off to secure evidence
against lawbreakers and it does
no good unless grand juries re-
turn indictments against them
grand juries can indict law viol-
ators but they do no lasting good
unless trial juries will convict
them and the judge of the court
gives them the full extent of the
law.
The number of convictions we
have had in Holmes county dur
ing the past Is years has been
unbelievably small.
Why?
The average citizen doesn't
want to serve on juries and
escapes jury duty any way and
every way he can. Unless he is
forced to serve by the Judge or
circumstances he does escape
jury duty.
Any citizen who was in the
courtroom Monday morning when
a jury was being. empanelled
knows what ] mean.
Practically every excuse was
used by some Of the men present
to get off the jury.
Some of the leading citizens in
our county, some of them the
most vocal Of all in expressing
disgust with present conditions,
try and get off jury duty when
they are called upon to serve.
How can they ever expect the
county to become law-abiding
when they fail to do their part
to make it so? When they fail to
do their part by making its laws
respected and its courts feared?
agree Fundamentally with
Circuit Judge Arthur Jordan in
what he said Monday morning in
court - that he thought the men
who stood on the street corners
and talked about the lack of re-
spect and confidence in our courts
and then evaded jury duty when
called upon ought to have the
decency to keep their mouths
shut.
The truth about the matter is