Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/293

Rh eittion whe some 8 nonths age, about the time your committee was organized, Senator Hendr ickson, decided that New Jersey wanted to do. something about juvenile delinquency sso.

The. I might say for the record at this point that New Jersey hes done something about it, too, Your conunittee is evidence of that fact.

Mr. Karnox. We are happy, if | may digress from the main argu- ment of what I hope to bring ont today. the fact that we think in New Jersey, thanks to Mr. Fitzpate ick, of course, and his very fine work jn connection with the report that his committee has gotten out, with the appropriation that they had within the limitations they were working

The. Do you happen to know, Air, Kaplon, what appro- priation they did have, the amount of it 4

Mr. Karnox. 1 believe it was something like 15 or 20 thousand dollars the first year, and they have been continued.

Our present commission in New Jersey. Lam sure, has no appro- priation, Lknow of none. Ali of the members of it, including myself, will serve without reward or compensation. It has been that Wily right from the very start when I, as an individual, felt that something

should be done because the legal profession has a duty and obliga- tion to the eitizens.

We felt that as lawyers we should do our part in trying to probe for and find out the canses and the reasons anc what could be done in the preventive field, in the field of juvenile delinquency,

J just read in our paper this morning, and | think it is worthy of note to call i€ to the attention of this committee:

Hight tecners held as cause of $2 million fire.

A teen-rge tule of awimming in u forbidden area, stealing surreptitious “smokes” on a wooden picr, and making clumsy cffort to put cut the resultant fire with wet bathing suits, was drawn front & youngsiers yesterday, according to police investigating Tuesday’s $2,250,000 lire. The blaze put 124 firemen an the casualty list through injuries or sinoke voisun, touched off 100 explosions, and threatened to engulf much of Edgewater before it was brought under control in one of the most spectaenlar fire-fighting eiforts in yeirs.

The youngsters are age 13 to 16, one of whom was a girl I just bring th lis to your attention. Tt isso new thaé the ink is hardly dry on the Mor ning Newark Star and Eagle.

Mr. . You also have had experience with comie books, crime, and horror comic books?

Mr. Kapton, We have had plenty of experience with conic books, Our committee has been diligently obtaining the evidence that has been olfered Loday.

1 don’t think there is any exception in the State of New Jersey or Union County. F picked up something in Chicago only this Tuesday. Throughout the Nation we are having the same siluation. Lt. aggra-

rates one greatly to hear the publishers ery and sereech freedom of the press. “They quoted so beautifully here from Justice Douglas. I don’t think they bore in mind the fact there is another quotation nero the late Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, whe said in a controvers involving freedom of speech, that the ri ight that a person has to say what he pleases dloes not give him the privilege or right to shout “Fire” in a crowded theater.

That surely puts those at rest who feel that there has been some kind of thought in regard to censorship.