Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-11
Street Violence

Street Violence
I earnestly hope The Star
will continue to hammer
away with such editorials
as THE Law Is A ASS"
Eventually this might prod
our legislators to stop the
uncomfortable protection the
Supreme Court gave to GRIM
inals in the Mallory decision.
But the basic obstacles to
crime suppression will still
remain unchanged.
Criminal lawyers will con-
tinue to do everything they
can to acquit their clients,
regardless of the conse-
quences to the public. They
claim this is for the public
good. Thus. q recent letter
by Lawyer" says that the
lawyers who defended NAL
lory and bad man" Williams
and secured their freedom
deserve not condemnation
but the thanks of the COM
munity.
Also our courts, all the
way up to the Supreme
Court, will continue to in
terpret the law solely to pro-
tect the criminal, and to dis
regard entirely any rights of
the public or of the GRIM
mails victim. especially if
the victim is dead.
Thus criminal lawyers and
the courts continue to prove
they are far more concerned
with protecting criminals
than with suppressing them
all for the public good. of
course. So crime grows and
grows and we must keep our
doors locked and stay off the
streets after dark.
G. M.
This is an appeal to Con-
eress to do something quickly
about that disgraceful NAL
lory decision. Crime in
creased right on its heels.
II that heinous thing can
be corrected. then it will do
some good to enlarge the po-
lice force with a thousand
more good men. AS it is now,
they apprehend criminals only
to have courts turn them
loose to rob and slug and
rape again.
N. M.
1t is getting to be a fright
ening thing to be q resident
Of our Nations Capital, so
often proclaimed the capital
Of the free world. I am spe-
officially referring to the cur
rent furry Of yoke robberies
and their like.
This problem unfortunately
goes beyond the home. It is
getting to be one Of the press
ing social problems of our age.
I suggest that 1t become the
prime problem Of every
church. synagogue. citizens
association and police officer
on the beat. The police
might do well to transfer
some Of their day force to the
night shift and also hire
women to patrol the park
ing meter beats, as is done
in Alexandria. Also the full
time force could be augmented
by an auxiliary police force
and q civilian group. These
could be sent out to patrol
the streets in pairs. armed
with night sticks. I feel GER
tain that many civic-minded
citizens would gladly contrib
ute a couple Of hours a week
In behalf of this effort.
Louis @. Gernand.
F+&
Congratulations on your
great campaign against crime
in the District. II is immoral
to put law above morals.
Rape, murder. robbery and
assault are the worst moral
offenses. Yet many lawyers
and judges seem morally
blind. They claim they are
for equal justice, but do
not know now what is meant
by equal justice.
I am glad your paper is
raising q strong voice against
lawlessness in the District Of
Columbia.
T. M. Dow.
49,
The Citizens Forum of Co
lumbia Heights recommends
that immediate steps be
taken TO expand the Police
Corps Reserve TO the full
authorized quota Of l0,500
reservists in order to patrol
the streets and aid in max
ing this city safer TO live in.
c. J. Fernald.
President. Citizens Forum
Of Columbia Heights.