The Lexington advertiser., 1951-05-17
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Brannon Smith

One of the incest affairs we
have attended lately was the la
dies night banquet given by
members of the Big Black Farm
ers Club last Thursday night in
the dining room of Holmes Jun
ior College at Goodman
About 140 members with their
guests were present at this gala
affair which featured delicious
chicken dinner followed by a
splendid speech by Mississippi's
Attorney General J. p. Coleman.
Judge" Coleman, as he is
best known. was introduced by
Willie Owen of Pickens, program
chairman for the event. Mr.. Owen
was presented by Joe Tingle,
Lexington implement dealer who
heads the group.
Mr.. Coleman made brief but
eloquent speech pointing out
existing public attitudes toward
law, law-enforcement a n d tn e
courts.
He said m any well-meaning
people today would unthinking-
ly make remarks such as there's
nothing to the courts but money
and influence" and thereby pos
sibly influence citizen, boy or
a girl, in a way that would be
detrimental to his or her future
welfare.
1T is easy to point out how the
law has failed" Judge Coleman
said, "but if you take away the
law out Of our society everything
would fall into confusion"
Every right, every privilege
and benefit we have today s
based on sound law" he con-
tinued.
The speaker then told of how
laws during the past 100 years
nave steadily improved to give
citizens more protection tn n
they have ever had before--say-
ing that less than 100 years ago
there were over 200 crimes for
which person could be put to
death.
Judge Coleman emphasized the
need for good jurors as one of
our greatest needs today in the
United States--in order to pre-
serve law and order and respect
for the courts. He said nothing
would please Joe Stain any more
than for law and order to break
down completely in the United
States.
We've inherited this country
our ancestors, who believed IN
law and order, won it with their
blood. It is up to us to keep it
the kind of country we want
it to be-" he said.
We agreed with Judge Cole
man in everything he said in his
tal.s--in fact, that is what we've
b.en preaching for years in this
column as all of our readers know
But we feel that he made one
omission that is important,
1t is well and good to teach
respect for law and order and we
should all adhere to that-but
we feel that the main reason peo-
pie are fast losing respect for
law and our courts is the way
some lawyers are allowed to act
the things they are allowed to
get away within court and out.
A very small percentage OF
shyster lawyers who are allow
ed to practice is responsible for
the segment of public opinion
which holds that courts. lawyers.
judges and jurors are all either
downright crooked or would be
If they got chance.
If our lawyer friends would
crack down on their contempora-
ries who do not follow the honor
able code by which lawyers are
expected to live they would do
more to improve the courts and
earn respect for them than any
thing else we know.
The main trouble with the law
lis lawyers.
Senator Kefauver says we will
never be rid of organized crime
in America.
Edgar Hoover says crime has
increased since the outbreak of
the Korean war.
Remarks like these from two
men who are highly regarded by
the American people point to the
fact that the road ahead in Anne
RIGA is by no means a rosy one.
Sound leadership of our Ameri-
can youth is needed as never be-