Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-01
religious persecution by the local
school boards.

religious persecution by the local
school boards.
Patriotic Mob
At the same time, and worse
than the official action against
the Jehovah's Witnesses, was the
wave Of mob violence, attempts
at lynching, and physical brutal
ity against the Witnesses which
swept the country-all in the
name Of patriotism and support
for the Supreme Courts opinion.
Conditions we're such that within
two years after the first flag
salute case was decided, a sec
ond flag salute case reached the
Supreme Court. In a dramatic
reversal, the Court ruled that no
authority, State or Federal, could
dictate the religious beliefs of any
citizen. School children could not
be coerced into reciting pledges
of allegiance when to do so would
violate their freedom Of religion
(conscience). Specifically. the
children of Jehovah's Witnesses
could not be expelled from school
because their religious beliefs pre-
vented them from giving the flag
salute.
Thus, in the very heart of
World War II, a court defended
indeed expanded upon-consti-
tutional freedoms. 1t did so despite
the opposition of political au-
thorities. 1t did so in behalf of a
very small and very unpopular
minority. And 1t did so in behalf
Of one Of the most unpopular Of
freedoms-eSpecially in wartime
the freedom not to salute the flag.
The Supreme Courts defense of
freedom Of religion did not stop
with World War II. The prayer
cases Of the very recent past
demonstrate once again that the
Court is alert to even minor
abridgements of fundamental
freedoms. Once again the apostles
of judicial restraint have been
critical. But religious freedom in
this country is safer today be-
cause the Court has shown the
people why even a minor inroad
on religious freedom cannot be
tolerated.
In Criminal Low
The courts also have been active
in the criminal law field, in ex-
banding the sphere Of human free
dom. 1t has often been said that
History will judge the quality Of
a civilization by the manner in
which it enforces its criminal
laws" The Supreme Court has
taken the lead in insuring that our
criminal law enforcement receives
the appreciation Of history. In de-
cision after decision it has sought
to upgrade and civilize the manner
in which our criminal laws, State
and Federal, have been enforced.
The Court has demonstrated a
determination to diminish the
part that poverty plays in the ad-
ministration of criminal justice
the type of trial a man gets must
not depend on whether he is rich
or poor. Following this thesis, the
Court has recognized the right to
counsel in both Federal and State
criminal trials and has required
the State and the National Govern
ments to supply q lawyer for the
INDECENT. More than this, the Su-
preme Court has required the State
and Federal governments to pro-
vide a proper appeal for indigentS
by paying the costs thereof, in
cludins a transcript Of the testi-
mony taken at the trial. Thus the
Court has sought to remove the
handicap of poverty so that the
INDECENT, too, may receive a fair
trial under our law.
Coerced confessions have also
received the condemnation Of the
current court. Under the Anglo
Saxon system Of criminal justice,
as distinguished from the CONT