( *
"Is America as a Nation
being swept by an epidemic of
spiritual malnutrition?’' asks
J. Edgar Hoover, Director of
the Federal Bureau of Investi
gation,
"I fervently hope not, but
the danger signs are all too
dear. I fear that die public
may be coming to accept wide
spread lawlessness as an un
avoidable adjunct to our way of
life.
"What has happened to the
dvlc pride, the righteous indig
nation, of otherwise respecta
ble dttzens who turn dieir backs
on helpless victims of beatings
and robberies?
"It has helped to turn the
streets and parks of many
dttes into virtual Jungles of
fear where, according to a re
cent survey, nearly half of die
dtizens are afraid to walk alone
at night.
"Despite the continuing ef
forts of some self-professed
"eiqierts” to minimize die
crime problem, the undeniable
fact remains that crime is in
creasing in both numbers and
intensity at an alarming rate.
It is growing six times as fast
as our expanding population.
"Forty-one years ago, an ex
perienced attorney and Jurist in
New. York issued the strong
warning: "It Is not die crimi
nals, actual or potential, that
need a neuropathic hospital.
It is the people who slobber
over diem in an effort to find
excuses for their crime. The
demand of the hour in America,
above all other countries, is
for Jurors with conscience,
Judges with courage and prisons
which are neither country clubs
nor health resorts.”
"The same demands of the
hour,’ ’ says Hoover, ‘ continue
to exist today. Tra^cally, the
atmosphere of many court
rooms is still polluted by some
Jurors who deliberately close
their minds to the evidence be
fore them. Too many of
our Judges seek out technicali
ties rather than guilt or inno
cence.
“A trial should truly repre
sent an enlightened search for
truth so that deception, sur-
prl.se, technicalities and delay
wlU be obliterated. The JousUng
in legal mumbo Jumbo resorted
to by far too many of our Judges
makes a farce of our Judicial
system.
"But even if he should be
convicted, the criminal knows
that regardless of Ids past rec
ord there is steadily increas
ing hope Tor a su.spended or a
probationary sentence or an
early release on parole.
"The decent people in all
sections of the country--East,
West, North and South - have
suffered too long at tlie hands
of terrorists set free with little
more than a pretext of impartial
consideration of their guilt,
"They are losing patience
with .systems of parole and pro
bation that are little more Uum
conveyor belts from our pris
ons and court chambers back
to Uie underworld.
"And they have become nau
seated by the irresponsible ac
tions of other ".sometime'
Americans such as thosefidr--
weather patriots who eagerly
gras)) every right and privilege
which our country guarantees
its inhabltunts, while Ignoring
(Conlinued on Page 8)
NEW BERN-CRAVEN COUNTY
PUBUQ LIBRARY
The N£W BERN
0
PUBLIiNID WBBKLY
thb hiart op
NORTH
m-.
VOLUME 10
NEW BERN, N. C, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1967
NUMBER 3
HIGH HONOR—When Wednesday rolls around, New
Bern’s Alfred A. (Shotrv) Kafer, Jr., will be elevated
to the office of Grand Master of North Carolina’s
66,000 Masons. Past Master and long-time Secretary
of historic St. John’s Lodge No. 3, Kafer will be
accorded the distinction of having fellow Past Mas
ters from his own Lodge install him at Raleigh’s Me-
moriai Auditorium. He takes over at the 180th An
nual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Ancient,
Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina, and
will be the 114th Grand Master of Masons in the
State. A friendly, good natured man, he is completely
devoid of all pretense and sham, but brings to his
new office a wealth of knowledge and great capa
bility. iWthout doubt, he will be one of the most popu
lar Grand Masters in North Carolina’s history, and
one of the ablest.—Photo by Eunice Wray.