Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
It is desirable to expedite the hearing and disposal of cases. A
commission of Federal judges and lawyers should be created to recommend
legislation by which the procedure in the Federal trial courts may be
simplified and regulated by rules of court, rather than by statute; such
rules to be submitted to the Congress and to be in force until annulled or
modified by the Congress. The Supreme Court needs legislation revising and
simplifying the laws governing review by that court, and enlarging the
classes of cases of too little public importance to be subject to review.
Such reforms would expedite the transaction of the business of the courts.
The administration of justice is likely to fail if it be long delayed.
The National Government has never given adequate attention to its prison
problems. It ought to provide employment in such forms of production as can
be used by the Government, though not sold to the public in competition
with private business, for all prisoners who can be placed at work, and for
which they should receive a reasonable compensation, available for their
dependents.
Two independent reformatories are needed; one for the segregation of women,
and another for the segregation of young men serving their first sentence.
The administration of justice would be facilitated greatly by including in
the Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice a Division of
Criminal Identification, where there would be collected this information
which is now indispensable in the suppression of crime.
PROHIBITION
The prohibition amendment to the Constitution requires the Congress. and
the President to provide adequate laws to prevent its violation. It is my
duty to enforce such laws. For that purpose a treaty is being negotiated
with Great Britain with respect to the right of search of hovering
vessels. To prevent smuggling, the Coast Card should be greatly
strengthened, and a supply of swift power boats should be provided. The
major sources of production should be rigidly regulated, and every effort
should be made to suppress interstate traffic. With this action on the part
of the National Government, and the cooperation which is usually rendered
by municipal and State authorities, prohibition should be made effective.
Free government has no greater menace than disrespect for authority and
continual violation of law. It is the duty of a citizen not only to observe
the law but to let it be known that he is opposed to its violation.
THE NEGRO
Numbered among our population are some 12,000,000 colored people. Under our
Constitution their rights are just as sacred as those of any other citizen.
It is both a public and a private duty to protect those rights. The
Congress ought to exercise all its powers of prevention and punishment
against the hideous crime of lynching, of which the negroes are by no means
the sole sufferers, but for which they furnish a majority of the victims.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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