The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-02-14

Roanoke C0llege.e
In recent years the phrase
Peace with Justice" for a rest
less and disconsolate world has
been strongly urged by the Eisen-
hover administration without
anyone offering to explain the
meaning of the word Justice"
or how it should be applied to
the confused world of today. 1t
can be said. therefore, that
Peace With Justice for the
world is still far away from re-
atty.
In 2 more domestic senSe-the
concern of this paper it may
be said that the American people
are not satisfied with recent ef-
forts of their legislators and
judges to establish justice and
insure domestic tranquility by
the carelessly spun laws and
their clumsy enforcement which
they have been asked to accept
and relish.
According to Webster. Justice
is a fair rendering of what is
just or due" 1t involves fair
dealing coupled with integrity.
Obviously the mere enforce
ment of laws may not mean JUS
tice unless the laws meet the
needs and improve the general
welfare of those affected by them.
A law, therefore, should always
be framed to serve some vital
need of the populace and be re-
ceived by them as a fair and
necessary act. Any law that a
majority of the people does not
approve puts a premium upon
laW-breaking ard cannot be just
ly or wisely enforced.
Woodrow wilson in 1.-The
State" Chapter XIV. presents a
conception of law which does not
identify it with a definite COM
mand but endeayors to include in
it those customary usages which
have become of binding force.
Law he says. lis that portion
of the established thought and
habit which has gained distinct
and formal recognition in the
shape of uniform rules backed by
the authority and power of gov
eminent. Such laws he says.
arise in part from long stand
ing custom shaped by the CO.
operative action Of the whole
community, and not by any king
ly or legislative command"
The Founding Fathers put
the supreme power sovereignty
squarely in the hands of the cleo
torate of this nation and those
holding office under the authority
OF the electorate and making
laws without recognizing the real
and paramount source Of au-
thority that lies behind all law
making ard law enforcement in
this country are surely out Of
tune with the Constitution and
are not prepared to make good
laws.
There comes to mind three i'm
properly drawn laws within the
last century approximately that
have not been enforced mainly
because they have ignored the
human and social elements that
must go into the making of good
laws and were. therefore, not en-
forceable in certain parts of the
ration with justice.
L. The Fugitive Slave Law of
1850 which was part of the
Great Compromise of that year
and was so wholly unacceptable
to the Northern part of the nation
that it could not be enforced. Mr..
Lincoln, in his first inaugural adj
dress, turned to the South and
said, The Fugitive Slave Law
is as much a part of the laws
of the land as airy law and de-
serves to be enforced but 1
doubt that any law so widely OPP
posed can be enforced" 1t was
an ill-considered law.
2. The next law that was i'll
advised and ineffective was the
Prohibition Law 18th Amend
ment) of 1918. And, when coupled
to the Volstead Act which pro-
hibited the manufacture, trans
portation, and sale of beverages
containing more than S per cent
alcohol, it was Immediately at
tackled by a large segment of the
American people as an invasion
Of their constitutional rights. This
law clearly put a premium upon
law-breaking and enforcement
became a farce; it could not be
enforced with justice because it
ignored the established thought
and habit" of too many people.
3. The most poorly considered
and ill-advised gesture at law
making in recent times was the
Warren desegregation court Or
der of 1854. The court not only
pronounced the unconstitution-